DRESSED AS FIREMAN

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30364, 13 February 1964, Page 15

DRESSED AS FIREMAN

Stranger At Fires

A mysterious stranger in dress which is similar to a fireman’s uniform, made an appearance amongst spectators at a fire which broke out in the assembly plant of the International Harvester Company of New Zealand, Ltd., in Blenheim road last night Firemen believe he is the same man who appeared at a grass fire in Middleton railway yards on Tuesday. Some firemen believe him to be the man who applied at the headquarters station last week for a job in the Christchurch Fire Brigade. The man was wearing black jack boots, black trousers and tunic, with wide belt but no helmet at the fire last evening. The man who was present when firemen were fighting the grass fire in the railway yards at Middleton on Tuesday was wearing similar clothing. On both occasions, some firemen thought at first that he was a member of the brigade. The man who asked fpr a job last week said. that he came from the North Island. The fire in the International Harvester firm’s New Zealand headquarters last night caused only minor damage. Some header harvester belts were destroyed, paint ruined and a wooden partition damaged. The . fire broke put near the spray painting booth in the assembly plant. The huge structural steel building, with a concrete floor, and roof spans 25ft. high, contained more than £lm worth of trucks, tractors, earth-moving equipment, agricultural implements, parts and spares'.

The automatic alarm system, connected to tie Headquarters Eire Station, gave the alarm at 9.52 p.m. Engines from ■ the Headquarters,. Sydenham and Sockburn stations • went to the fire. Two men in a car passing by called at the Sockburn Fire Station to say that the fire was well away. The fire looked worse than it was, in the centre , of the dark assembly plant building, 300 ft by 200 ft. The sprinkler system was going when the first firemen arrived, but flames and smoke were reaching the roof. Two hoses were used to get the fire under control within a few minutes. Stacks of tyres for trucks and tractors, within feet of the seat of the fire, were not damaged.

The cause of the .fire could not be ascertained last night. The Chief Fire Officer (Mr L. R. Osmond) asked the company’s representatives to have a man on watch throughout the night. Fire officers will try to find the 1 cause of the fire today.