FIRE IN CAMP

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 3, 28 September 1939, Page 5

FIRE IN CAMP

Early Morning Blaze At Narrow Neck LITTLE DAMAGE DONE By Telegraph.—Press Association. AUCKLAND, September 27. AAJiile army troops were asleep In 77 bedrooms, as well as recreation and social rooms, fire occurred .in a two-story wooden barracks building at Narrow Neck military camp early this morning. The outbreak was suppressed before more than £5O worth of damage was done.

The seat of the fire was in a singlestory attachment at the far end of the building, housing a supply of coal and a feeder engine serving the boiler for the hot water service. Through a wall, covered with asbestos, was the kitchen, and it was a memlier of the kitchen staff who raised the alarm from a firebox in the grounds at 1.40 a.m.

When the volunteer fire brigade arrived from Devonport the guard on the gate knew nothing of the lire and one of the firemen bad to climb over the gate to open it. AVithin a few minutes two leads of hose were trained on the flames, which were spreading up the wall to the ceiling, and, after two miniites, the hoses were no longer required. All tlie troops were not out of their beds by tlie time tlie fire had been extinguished. No general alarm was given. Inspection showed that tlie fire had reached the ceiling, where it might have spread rapidly, assisted by a good draught, had it not been caught in the nick of time. The Devonport fire superintendent, Mr. 11. E. Follas, said: “It could have been a mighty fire. The flames crept up tlie wail separating tlie outbuilding from tlie kitchen passageway and dining-room. Directly overhead were bedrooms. Tlie timber in the ceiling would not have taken many miyutes to catch alilaze, and there were many features which might have caused great difficulty.”

AVithin an hour the building was beyond all danger. Damage was conlined to one end of the building, the coal and enginehouse and tlie outside wall of tlie main structure suffering most.