ALL-NIGHT FIGHT TO CONTAIN FIRE

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30121, 3 May 1963, Page 10

ALL-NIGHT FIGHT TO CONTAIN FIRE

Blaze In Big Auckland Bulk Store

tN.Z. Press Association—Copyright) AUCKLAND, May 2. Thick smoke hung over Auckland tonight as more than 50 firemen fought to get at the source of a fire in the Farmers’ Trading Company's four-storey bulk store on the corner of Fanshawe and Nelson streets.

The fire broke out about 3.30 p.m. in the basement of the store and by late tonight had spread to the first floor. Three firemen were admitted to Auckland Hospital suffering from the effects of the dense black smoke and exhaustion.

Late tonight firemen were preparing for an all-night fight against the fire and every fire engine, except four, was at the scene.

Many firemen were assisted from the burning building and were given oxygen by St. John Ambulance Association officers.

The chief fire officer (Mr L F. Wilson) said conditions at the fire were the most difficult he had encountered in 26 years’ service. The building—a former cool store built for the internal marketing department—has concrete walls 15 inches thick. The cork lining the walls of the basement was burning fiercely and creating an intense heat barrier preventing firemen from getting at the flames. Lack of ventilation was contributing to the problem, said Mr Wilson. Mr R. H. Busfield, general manager of the company, said the damage could run into many thousands of pounds. The floors were packed with merchandise. A similar fire occurred in the building last July.

Traffic officers diverted rush-hour buses and cars through adjoining streets. The first alarm was given by a passer-by when smoke was seen trailing from the basement windows. Four men employed in the basement were working at the other end of the building. Colleagues rushed from the upper storeys to warn them. Twenty - five employees evacuated the building without incident.

Several persons with clothing in lockers on the second floor were beaten back by the intense heat and smoke when they tried to retrieve their belongings.

Soon after the outbreak, 600 rolls of linoleum caught fire

in the basement. As the fire spread through the 12,000square foot basement huge clouds of dense black smoke rose.

Teams of firemen wearing breathing apparatus repeatedly dragged hoses through thick clouds of smoke trying

to get at the flames. They were beaten back by the fierce heat time and time again.

Assisted by company employees, firemen managed to break through the door leading to a cooler, but were forced back by the burning cork.

At 7 p.m., the battle switched to the Nelson street side of the building as a succession of muffled explosions was followed by large clouds of black smoke. Several members of the public rushed to the assistance of .firemen

and helped to retrieve hoses trapped inside. Station Officer C. Golding was knocked unconscious when he fell from a ramp in blinding smoke at the Fanshawe street entrance. He was dragged clear and had to be revived three times by mouth-to-mouth resuscitation administered by Mr- M. W. Osborne, an ambulance officer.

Employees of an engineering firm filled 44 air bottles and 20 oxygen bottles, at pressures of more than 20001 b a square inch, as replacements for those being used by firemen.

By 10.30 p.m., the fire had reached the second floor and the smoke became even more intense as a large stock of rubber tyres caught alight. The whole area was strewn with hoses and surplus water caused flooding in Fanshawe street.

The firemen admitted to hospital are: Fireman James Paul Hurst, aged 20, from the Central fire station. Station Officer Norman Golding, aged 35, from the Central fire station. Fireman Francis Butler, aged 30, from the Ponsonby fire station. Their condition late tonight was fairly satisfactory. All were suffering from exhaustion. Large stocks of electric heaters, motor mowers and many other hardware goods are believed to have been extensively damaged by smoke and water. Tired Firemen

At midnight firemen w r ere showing obvious signs of their nine-hour battle in the heat and smoke. Men returning to rest were hardly able to wrench off their face masks.

The fight became more arduous as the hot concrete burned the soles of the firemen’s boots. Water from the hoses inside the building quickly turned to steam in the heat.

Shortly before midnight onlookers caught their first sight of flames on the second floor of the building.

At times the dense black smoke obscured the building. Fremen lay on their stomachs to direct hoses into the building as the smoke thickened. Several firemen were burned by the hot hose nozzles.

The cause of the outbreak is not known.

Resting firemen were given tea by staff of an ambulance mobile canteen.

The damaged stock includes a large quantity of new furniture.