HEAVY DAMAGE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 164, 13 July 1945, Page 6

HEAVY DAMAGE

PLANT AND TIMBER

FIRE AT BOX FACTORY

Thousands of pounds worth of plant and timber were lost when fire almost totally destroyed the factory of K.D.V. Boxes Limited, Morningside, early last evening. The largest butter-box factory in the Dominion, the factory last year made 1,400,000 butter boxes under contract to the Government and was to turn out another 1,000,000 boxes this year. It also produced a variety. of other boxes for the services.

While in his office about 5 p.m., the secretary of the company, Mr. H. G. R. James, who was then the only person on the premises, noticed flames and smoke coming from the direction of the boiler-house at the back of the building. He immediately telephoned the Central Fire Station, and as he did so the flames ran right across the inside of the roof of the factory. It is thought that this rapid spread of the fire was due to an accumulation of fine dust along the rafters and under the roof. Within a matter of minutes the fire had gained a strong hold in many parts of the building, and by 5.30 thousands of spectators had been attracted to the scene by the tremendous blaze.

Meanwhile engines from the Central, Mount Eden, Mount Albert, Avondale and Pt. Chevalier stations had arrived and firemen were gallantly braving the tremendous heat in efforts to bring the flames under control. At one sta&j houses near the factory were endangered, and it was found necessary to take one lead from inside the factory to prevent the fire spreading to the home of Mr. and Mrs. R. F. Ward, in Altham Avenue, which was closest to the fire. House Furniture Removed At the time the occupants were out and a friend organised a party to remove the furniture, which was returned to the house about eight o'clock, when the area was safe. From another property a motor car was removed from the garage, and pushed to a safer place.

As a result of the spread of the fire to the electric-power poles and lines, it was necessary to disconnect the supply, a task carried out expeditiously and not without risk by members of the power board staff. This left a large number of houses and shops in the vicinity without lighting for a considerable period.

Although the fire was under control within three-quarters of an hoi~ of the alarm being sounded, the bla sis was still sufficient a spectacle to keep large crowds of spectators in the vicinity until nearly eight o'clock. Traffic inspectors and the police were kept busy controlling the crowds and diverting motor traffic.

No serious accidents occurred, although minor burns and cuts were suffered by firemen and others. A number of St. John Ambulance men were on duty and their efforts were the subject of a tribute by a fire brigade officer this morning.

Machinery Hard to Replace

To-day five firemen were still playing hoses on the smouldering wreckage and it was considered possible that firemen would have to. remain on duty there throughout'to-night. Little remains of the factory except the office, part of the timber finishing workshop at the eastern end of the factory, the badly damaged walls, and a portion of the back of the factory building. Machinery valued at between £15,000 and £20,000, which, is practically irreplaceable to-day, and about £10,000 worth of timber ready for manufacture into boxes were a total loss, Timber stacked in the yard for dressing escaped damage.

Two previous fires have occurred at the factory, one on May 24, 1936, and the other on September 12, 1941, but the damage caused was of a relatively minor nature. However, in 1937 the company received a severe setback as the result of a fire on its property at Kohukohu, the loss on that occasion, after allowing for insurances, being £2500. "./.;, ..':.,

Insurances on the building, plant and stock in the factory total approximately £29,000, these being held with the Queensland Insurance Company, Limited. The company also holds a loss of profits policy.

K.D.V. Boxes, Ltd., began operations in 1933 with a nominal capital of £150,000 shares at £1 each, which was later reduced to 113,340 shares at 10/ each, fully paid, totalling £56,670. In the last balance sheet published, that for the year- ended June 30, 1944, stocks were shown at £34,726 and buildings and plant (at cost, less depreciation) were valued at £19,897. In recent, years the company had been paying a dividend of 7 per cent per annum. A meeting of directors to consider the results of the fire was held this morning.