FIRES

Evening Star, Issue 17314, 30 March 1920, Page 6

FIRES

PLANING MILL DESTROYED. INCENDIARISM A POSSIBILITY. [Pee United Phbss Association.] CARTERTON, March 20. Booth and Co.’s planing mill was destroyed by fire last night, together with a considerable quantity of timber. Work ceased at five o’clock, and the-final inspection at six o’clock showed all safe. At 10.30 the building was discovered to be a seething mass of flames. Nothing was saved. _ The insurances were £IOO on the building and £450 on the machinery. The insurances on. the timber - are not yet available. The mill was lighted throughout by electricity. In addition, £4OO worth of corrugated iron was stored in the mill and was destroyed. It was not insured. Three years ago a suction gas plant was put in at a cost of £BOO. The estimated loss is £3,000 or £4,000. Rebuilding is to commence at once. A curious coincidence is that a house owned by Mr Booth was mysteriously fired at Easter time last year, and an anonymous letter was received, threatening more. Two calls were received by the Gily Fire Brigade yesterday. The first was at 2.40 p.m. to Hobson street, St. Clair, where a grass fire had broken out. ‘ 'This was quickly extinguished. In connection with this outbreak Mr T. Smith, 87 years of age, who had attempted to put the fire out, was fountl shortly afterwards close by in an exhausted condition. He was conveyed to his home, where he quickly recovered. The second call came in at 7.40 p.m., when a machine was d ispatched to Opoho road where a fire had broken out in a house (No 45) owned by Mr G. Dunn, of No. 48 in the same road, and occupied, by Mr G. E. Marston. One room was and also a few articles •of furniture. The house is insured for £2OO with the Liverpool and London and Globe Office, and the contents for £250 with the Alliance Office. A second machine was sent away in response to a second alarm a few seconds after the first had left the station, and on reaching the junction of Great King street and Duka street it was found that the street alarm box at the corner had been broken. The brigade’s services were not required in thhf vicinity^