SPEEDWAY FIRES

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28217, 4 March 1957, Page 11

SPEEDWAY FIRES

Investigation By Detectives Detectives of the Criminal Investigation Branch are investigating fires which occurred at the Aranui Speedway Stadium early on Saturday morning. One destroyed the administrative building by the entrance gates. A few hours earlier, a fire had destroyed 'a section of the fencing. Chief - Detective Macdonald Brown said last evening there were no developments. A figure was seen to run from the building a few minutes after the second fire began. Fire engines from the Central Fire Station and New Brighton attended the fire shortly after 2 p.m., having received the alarm from a nearby resident, but were not able to save the wooden building. Young Gleaners Four small boys poked around in the debris of the charred building yesterday afternoon in a vain effort to retrieve something of value from the remains of some £lOO worth of overalls, riders’ colours, unrecognisable confectionery and the broken glass from 30 dozen soft drink bottles. Two fire extinguishers, several light bulbs and part of the loud speaker system were also destroyed, all of which was the uninsured property of All Sports, Ltd.

The building itself, owned by the Aranui Stadium company and leased, with the stadium, by All Sports, Ltd., had adequate insurance cover.

The fire also destroyed a section of the overhead wiring but this was repaired in time for the evening meeting. A crowd % of 5000 watched the races without any spectacular lights, and green lights and flags were used instead of the usual red when the two crashes of the evening occurred.