FIRE DAMAGES FACTORY

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27907, 2 March 1956, Page 12

FIRE DAMAGES FACTORY

FLAMES SPREAD RAPIDLY GOOD SAVE MADE BY BRIGADE Portion of the factory of Thorpe and Company, flock manufacturers, in Caversham street, Waltham, was badly damaged by fire shortly after 8 o’clock last evening. The blaze spread very quickly but a good save was made by the Christchurch Fire Brigade. The exact extent of the damage will not be known until an inspection is made this morning.

The fire was first seen by a member of an evening class at the Christchurch Technical College. He watched the blaze for about three minutes thinking that it was just a furnace inside the building. He then realised the building was on fire and drew the instructor’s attention to it. He telephoned the brigade. Two employees. Messrs R. Hopping and H. W. Penrose, were near the •building shortly before 8 p.m. when they heard two explosions. They immediately got in touch with Mr T. I. Watty, a senior employee of the company, though at that stage there was no sign of the fire. He telephoned the brigade, only to find that a call had already been received. The factory, a comparatively old brick building, which had been modernised. had an aluminium roof and as soon as the fire reached this it spread very quickly. The flames and the dense smoke which rose to a great height could be seen for a considerable distance and attracted a great number of spectators. The fire had a good hold in spite of the quick arrival of three units of the brigade. Three leads of hose were run out, two from the southern end of Caversham street and a third from Madras street through the factory of Maddren Brothers, in Coventry street. The water pressure was very good and with more than 500 gallons a minute being poured on the flames, the fire was soon under control.

The eastern end of the factory, where it is thought the fire originated, was severely damaged. This portion contained a flocking machine. The contents of the other end of the building, including bales of rags and other materials, were damaged by heat and water. The aluminium roof was completely destroyed. A three-man crew from the Central Fire Brigade Station remained on duty at the factory throughout the night in case of any further outbreak.