KAURI GUM FIRES

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 16, 19 July 1932, Page 9

KAURI GUM FIRES

DIFFICULTY & DANGER

HARD WORK FOR FIREMEN

The peculiar and dangerous properties of burning kauri gum were demonstrated at thp spectacular- fire which destroyed tho waterside store of "Winstone, Ltd., Auckland, early on Sunday morning. Tho extremely inflammable, nature of this substance may not be generally recognised, says the "New, Zealand Herald," but the members of the Auckland Fire Brigade arc fully alive to the difficulties of controlling a fire where the contents of the building include any considerable quantity of kauri gum. Firea of this nature are of fairly frequent occurrence, four of ihem having taken place within the past eighteen months in Auckland.

The guni apparently does • not burn freely until well heated, but when it has- melted or has generated its own peculiar gases, it ignites with a flash that carries the flames to all portions of the menaced building. - - One of the dangers from burning, according to Auckland ire-fighters, is the fine dust particles' which fill the air and ignite with the rapidity of gas. This danger was experienced at,the gum store fire in f Hobson street in February last year, when many tons of. gum 'were destroyed. Two firemen ventured into the building, and while playing a hose near the seat' of the fire;there )vas a flash; of'flame as the gum particles ignited/ and- they found themselves cut off from the exits. Only .by making a, track with the hose were they able to reach safety. ■ .

. It is clear that with an early alarm the brigade (San hold a gum fire- from spreading, as was shown at the firo in premises in' Customs street last December. The firemen were on the scene while the stock of gum was being heated; and were able to subdue the flames before the dangerous vapour was, released.' Howeverj the next day" tho large kauri gum store at-Penrose caught fire, and as the flames had spread almost throughout tho building before the brigades arrived, nothing could bo done to save the building and i contents. FIREMEN'S LOSINO FIGHT. These conditibnswerep repeated at the fire on Sunday morning. By the time the .brigade arrived the'top floors were alight froni end to' end: The brick and concrete walls held an inferao, a roaring mass of flame, but as tho waves of vapour came to the surface there .was a flash of white flame that illuminated all the. buildings on tho surrounding hills. Water seemed to be of no avail, and tho firemen fought a losing fight from tho start. At its height the firo was an aweinspiring spectacle, comparable to the oil fire which, raged on .the waterfront in April, 1928, but not as great as the fire in Hobson street in February, 1931. In the clear night a heavy pall of black smoke was carried across tho harbour by the light south-easterly breeze, .and tho 'reflection-'of the flames on this cloud mass was seen for many miles in all directions.