Coast arson suspected

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33874, 20 June 1975, Page 2

Coast arson suspected

Arson is suspected iir : two extensive fires ' which seriously dam- . aged the Greymouth R.S.A. Club, and virtu- ■ ally destroyed the Grey- ‘ mouth Club early . yesterday, says the f Greymouth reporter of ■ “The Pi-ess.” r • t The Greymouth Volunteer ’ Fire Brigade was called at 2i . a.m. to the R.S.A. club where ; fire was spreading from the club’s administration block to! I the recreational area. > Three-quarters of an hour ■ later, one of the units and the Cobden unit were called to; i fight the blaze at the Grey-’ I'mouth Club on the corner of

.Leonard and Tarapuhi streets. The intense fire gutted the bar and a nearby billiards room was badly {charred. The R.S.A. lost its records, lists of members, documents and other historical material. Chairs, desks, files and fit-i tings were burned beyond I recognition, and metal fit-1 tings melted and fused. The police were also called; in to investigate the burglary ! ■of four business premises. They were the garages of Brown Waiters. Ltd, Deys Panelbeating. Ltd, McMillan Motors, and the New Zealand ■ Motor Corporation — all only! short distances from the fires. Mainlv tools and other equip-1, ment were taken. Help in the fire investigations was given bv the director of the fire safety division; of the Fire Service Commis-i sion (Mr K. Burton-Wood) who is in Greymouth on a| routine inspection. The Greymouth Club, which has to stay open in terms of its licence, opened temporary premises in the foyer of the Regent Theatre, Greymouth, last evening.