Blenheim factory blaze

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34044, 7 January 1976, Page 1

Blenheim factory blaze

Fire almost totally destroyed the production area of a glass fibre factory at Blenheim late yesterday afternoon. The fire broke out in the mixing room of the Marlborough Fibreglass Company’s factory in Grove Road. It spread to the rest of the building within a minute, fed by resins and other combustible material. It was fanned by a fresh easterly wind, and a pall of black smoke was visible for several miles.

The Blenheim Volunteer Fire Brigade was called at 3.40 p.m., all members arriving at the scene within two 1 minutes. A brigade spokesman said that the blaze was brought under control in 25 ' minutes. At one stage, the heat from the fire was so intense : that it melted tar on the road . outside and burned through i power lines on the opposite I side of the road. At its height the fire-fighting was watched by a crowd of more ■ than 1000. The company’s factory ' manager (Mr R. H. McLatchie) said he was unable

at present to put an estimate on the damage, but the fire had destroyed thousands of dollars worth of machinery and glass fibre moulds. However, firemen were able to save most of the moulds used for making boat hulls. Marlborough Fibreglass is one of the major manufacturers of glass fibre boats in New Zealand, and turns out most of the hulls for Hamilton jetboats. Mr McLatchie said that it was not yet known how long the factory would be out of production, but he did not expect it to be long.

Offers had been made to the company of premises to enable it to continue production, and a meeting to be held this morning would decide about immediate action. The company’s executive director (Mr G. H. Robinson) said he expected production to resume within a month at the latest, depending on how quickly replacements for damaged or destroyed stock could be obtained. Fire brigadesmen were still at the scene of the fire last night, damping down the still-smouldering debris.