FIRES IN NAPIER.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17609, 11 November 1922, Page 12

FIRES IN NAPIER.

a (SPECIAL TO " THE PRESfI.") NAPIER, November 10. A series of fires kept Napier excited for a period this evening. The first outbreak was at the gasworks, just before 6 o'clock. A test was being made of a newly-installed furnace for a tar boiler when the joint of the latter blew out and the escaping gases taught fire, and then the tar, resulting •in dense volumes of smoke. The boiler is so situated that there was no danger of the fire speading to other parts of the works. The damage amounts to about £4O. The second outbreak, which was much more serious, occurred at about 7.50 in the cap factory owned by Mr S. Harris. In this case the fire apparently started in the motor garage, which was completely destroyed, together with a new motor-car valued at £6OO, and a quantity of accessories. The flames spread to the stock department of the factory, and here thirty cases of tweeds and other stock suffered considerably, and damage was done to that part of the building. The fire was extinguished before reaching the room, containing the machinery. The owner estimates his loss at between £4OOO and £SOOO. -The close proximity of a number of . two-storeyed made a much more serious conflagration likely, but the brigade's promptitude averted the danger. At 9.15, when the fire engine had just returntd to the station,' and some of the firemen the baths removing the traces of their work at the previous outbreak, the bell again rang out, calling the brigade to the cordial factory owned by Gilberd and Co. The outside of one wall was alight, and the flames were quickly extinguished. Large casks of hop ale were uncovered, and were probably ruined by the smoke. ; The, circumstances are somewhat suspicions, and the police are investigat.