DISASTROUS FIRE

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 80, 28 December 1929, Page 10

DISASTROUS FIRE

QUARRY PLANT DESTROYED LARGEST INSTALLATION IN NORTH ISLAND Dominion Special Service. Auckland, December 27. A disastrous fire occurred at tho Public Workai Department’s quarry at Tauroa, 17 miles from Whangarei, In the early hours of yesterday morning, resulting in the complete destruction of the crushing buildings, plant and machinery. The fire was first noticed at 3.20 a.m. by Mr. T. Qulfln, an employee at the quarry, and Mr. Robert Davidson, tho engineer in charge, who were awakened by the glare and noise of falling timbers. Upon arrival at the crushing site the buildings were seen to be blazing so fiercely that nothing could be done to check the outbreak. Quinn had passed • the quarry at midnight when everything seemed to be safe. Three hours afterwards the plant was in flames from end to end, the malthoid roofing being readily consumed by the flames. The origin of the fire is unknown, as the fires in the boilers were drawn on Christmas Day and no work had been done since then. A bucket brigade was organised, but the workers could not get near the blazing building. Fortunately there was no wind and it was possible to save the carpenters’ shop and the adjoining buildings, and also the offices which are all a short distance away. Mr. Shankland, an officer of the Department, and Detective-Sergeant Robertson visited the scene of the fire, but could find no clue to its origin. Twisted ironwork and tangled machinery was all that remained. Oue crusher was hurled down on to a railway line some feet below the level o! the plant. The quarry has a flue deposit of basalt rock and is easily the largest in North Auckland, if not in Auckland Province, being situated within a few chains of the main north railway line. It is of strategic importance to the development of northern roads and railways. The crushing plant, which is rendered useless, was most up-to-date, • having been remodelled in recent years. It consisted of three crushers, elaborate screeners and hoppers, and even plant for holding rejects. The motive power was provided by a large steam plant and the quarry had an output of over 200 cubic yards a day. The quarry has been worked practically ever since the Main North Road to Whangarei was started many years ago, and was for many years worked by the Public Works Department In later years contracts for the delivery of crushed metal had been let the present contractor being Mr. Marino Garey.. His contract is for approximately 25,000 cubic yards. The fire must necessarily seriously affect the supply of metal to the railway line under construction between Kirikopuni and Dargaville and also the supply to local bodies, in particular the Hobson and Otamatea counties. The Whangarei county, having its own quarries, will not be greatly affected. As the Public Works Department already has large dumps of metal in addition to a quarry on an island near Warkworth, the construction of the main north highway will be very little affected for the present. As a result of the fire about fifty men engaged at the quarry will be thrown out of work and in addition the men engaged in handling the metal on the railway and road construction works will be out of employment