Drove Burning Truck To Meet Fire Brigade

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30095, 1 April 1963, Page 16

Drove Burning Truck To Meet Fire Brigade

(New Zealand a ress Association)

PALMERSTON NORTH, March 31. With fire bursting through to the cab, a man drove a flaming truck loaded with furniture about two miles into Woodville at 1.40 p.m. on Saturday. Thv driver, Mr Jack Scarrott, of Bay View, Napier, was shifting the household goods of a Bay View woman, wh. was also in the cab. to Hunterville. The driver of a blue sports car following the truck shot past to sound the alarm. The Woodville Volunteer Fire Brigade met the truck in Vogel street A 12-gallon drum of petrol was the first thing taken from the burning truck by Mr Scarrott. It had been stored near the fire.

Easterly winds whipped into the fire as soon as the back of the truck canopy was

openeu Smoke billowed above the buildings and tongues of fire licked up to telephone wires above. While the firemen fought desperately to save the goods, a crowd gathered and traffic was held up for half an hour A third of the goods and furniture were burned beyond ary further use and the remainder was soiled by fire, smoke and water, an insurance agent said tonight. No estimate of the loss was available. The truck, burnt about the canopy and the tray, was driven back to Napier The soiled furniture was taken on to Hunterville on another truck from Napier today Th-, owner of the goods, a Mrs Williams, was worried most about a table and a suite of furniture which were new and unpacked.