Sydney Fire A Blow To N.Z. Building Industry

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 October 1947, Page 7

Sydney Fire A Blow To N.Z. Building Industry

((Recd. 10.20 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. A spectacular fire late last night destroyed the factory-of R. B. Davies Proprietary Ltd., in the suburb of Marrickville, causing ■damage variously estimated at between £lOO,OOO and £200,000. About 25,000 people saw the flames sweep through the factory’s 4| acres of floor space.

For four hours the fire disrupted all road and tram traffic in the area. The factory, the most modern of its kind in Australia, produced most of the locks, hinges and other metal fittings used in building in Australia and New Zealand. The completed orders destroyed by the fire included £25,000 worth for New Zealand firms. The factory employs 700 men. On June 11, 1942, fire gutted part of the plant and one fireman was killed and another critically injured. At is height, last night "the fire threatened adjoining homes and fam-

ilies rushed into the street in their nightclothes. They prepared to quit some of the homes, but firemen prevented the flames from reaching the houses.

The fire started just after 10 p.m. when a combined gas and electric oven exploded. The flames spread quickly to drums'of oil, paint and lacquer and within 10 minutes . the factory was ablaze. The flames leaped 150 feet and illuminated an area within a' mile radius. The fire.:was fully controlled by 1 a.m.