AWE-INSPIRING

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 136, 10 June 1924, Page 8

AWE-INSPIRING

TWENTY THOUSAND CASES OF

OIL BURN

DISASTROUS FIRE IN SOUTHLAND. .

(BY TEI.EfIn.IPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

INVERCARGILL, 9th June.

Invercargill to-day witnessed an aweinspiring spectacle, when the British Imperial Oil Company of New Zealand's big oil bond store went up in smoke. Just as the sun set a huge pall of black smoke commenced to stream across the sky, and huge tongues o£ flame rose hundreds of feet in the air. Like a great black curtain the huge volume of smoke poured across the sky with the westerly breeze, and from 5 o'clock to • close on midnight it continued without a break. Only in the late hours of the night did the eruption show any noticeable tendency to decrease. ■

There were at least 20,000 cases of oil stored in the building, of which 15,500 were unloaded from the Kaiwarra and stored away to-day. When the last cases were being stored the fire was discovered in the front part of the building, and it spread with such appalling rapidity that nothing could be done to save the building. An employee, named Smith discovered the place to be on fire, and pluckily tired to put it out, but so rapid was the spread of the flames that he was burnt about the arms and chest and taken to the hospital for treatment, where late to-night he was reported to be progressing favourably. • In addition to the 20,000 cases of oil, a quantity of lubricating oil was also stored in the building, but the exact quantity is not known, at present. All th 3 office papers were 'saved, but the store was irretrievably destroyed. Only tho walls are standing,' and at a late hour to-night it was still a question of whether the front wall would hold and prevent the fire spreading. It was, however, considered that things had taken a more hopeful turn. The greatest danger facing the fire T-'rigade was the possibility of the fire spreading to -two big bond stores across the road, those of-the Vacuum Oil Company and' A. and S. Paterson, and elaborate precautions were taken to prevent this happening. The brigade could, only bring one hose into operation', the fire being some little distance from the town water mains, and this solitary stream of water was kept in use without a stop for six' hours on end in hosing the other two stores mentioned,' from which huge clouds of steam arose. The brigade is considered to have handled the fire, well so far, and if the wall holds out no further dam.iire is anticipated. . Hie building and contents were covered by an open policy of insurance, • but the amount of damage covered is not yet known. The cause of the outbreak has not yet been definitely determined. ■ . " '