DISASTROUS FIRE

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 156, 29 March 1926, Page 8

DISASTROUS FIRE

SEED FACTORY RAZED DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT £20,000 “Dominion” Special. Palmerston North, March 28. One of the most disastrous fires that have occurred in Palmerston for several years was discovered shortly after four o’clock this morning, when a large twostoried wooden building 1 in Queen Street, occupied as factory and warehouse by Messrs. A. J. Palmer and Company, seed merchants, was razed to the ground. The building, which is one of the oldest in the town, was soon enveloped in flames,- the reflection of which lit •up the surrounding places for a distance of half a mile. The fire brigade received a call on the telephone at 4.10 a.m., but even before’ the locality of the outbreak was given, one of the firemen, who went to the front of the station, saw the flames from the blazing structure. The brigade established six leads of hose, being able to have an approach to the building from two streets. Three leads were trained from both King and Queen Streets. The heat was terrific, and severely hampered the work of the brigade, who were also handicapped by a low water pressure. The pressure” grew gradually less as the brigade progressed. Close attention was paid to the surrounding buildings of wood, which were constantly threatened by the flames. On one side was an old stable of wood, and on the other was a structure of wood and iron, used as a warehouse for hardware by Messrs. Manson and Barr. Although these were in such close proximity to the fire, the brigade succeeded in preventing the flames from reaching them, and the stable was merely scorched'i'he Scouts liall, directly at the rear of the fire, was continually threatened, and one fireman who made an attempt at salvage was soon driven out by the heat. Danger was also present in a brick building containing highly inflammable goods which was nearby, but as a result of the work of the fire-fighters very little damage was done to the surrounding buildings. Fortunately the wind was against a spread, otherwise the whole block of buildings-would have been destroyed. Considerable alarm was caused • when portion, of one of tjie walls of Palmer’s building fell with a crash, hung suspended for a time on the telephone wires, and then collapsed on to the roadway. While there was a great deal of grain and seed in sacks in the building, the stores were not filled to their capacity, and the flames roared through and quicklv ignited other portions of the woodwork. The firm’s crushing plant at the rear was totally destroyed, while two motor-lorries of heavy■ design were also reduced to a mass of red buckled iron. A large number of drums of oil escaped the flames. In about an hour the brigade had the outbreak, under control, and the surrounding buildings safe. Even after the outbreak had been suppressed the firemen had to keep a close watch,on the smouldering rums.. A desolate scene was presented this morning. There were piles upon piles of soaked and blackened grain, littered over the blackened remains. The firemen were still engaged in attending to the ruins. The right portion of the building was totally demolished, but a portion of the left side still remained standing. The origin of the outbreak is a mystery, although it is believed to have started in the rear part of the building. The insurances are not known, but it is understood that the stock was covered bv a pollcv for £lO,OOO, although this will not compensate the owners, who will be heavy losers. It is understood that the total damage wrought is in the vicinity of £20.000. On account of the defective ringing of the fire bell, a number of firemen did not arrive on the scene until the fire was well under way. In the last three days there hav.d been three serious outbreaks of fire in the town.