AUCKLAND FACTORY BLAZE: ESTIMATED DAMAGE OF £100,000

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 March 1948, Page 3

AUCKLAND FACTORY BLAZE: ESTIMATED DAMAGE OF £100,000

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, March 15. Thousands of pounds’ worth of damage was done by a fire which swept swiftly through the confectionery factory of Heards, Ltd., Parnell road, early this evening. About onethird of the factory, much stock, and valuable machinery were destroyed but in a remarkable save the fire brigades kept the fire out of the rest of the threatened building and away from at least six old houses directly in its path. No detailed estimate of the damage had been made tonight, nor was the cause of the fire known. A preliminary survey suggested that the damage would be about £lOO,OOO. The factory is L-shaped, and the fire began on the ground floor near the junction of the wings, one of which is of four storeys and the other of two It appeared trifling at first, but Gained a great hold within a few minutes. It caught the inflammable contents and wooden floors and was soon raging through the roof. Firemen Injured Two firemen, both belonging to the central fire station,, weie taken to the Auckland Hospital for treatment. They were George Dickson, aged 34, who had his left wrist severely cut, and Louis McNamara, aged 24, whose back was cut by glass. Both were discharged later. Other firemen suffered from minor cuts, burns, and the effects of smoke, but none was seriously hurt. A number of civilians were cut by flying glass, but went home after being treated by St John Ambulance officers. • In the early stages the fire appeared to be small, but even before the last of the fire trucks had arrived it had spread with amazing speed. All but one of the 200 employees had left the building when the fire began. It was discovered by the engineer on duty, who called the brigade. The flames when they shot out of the windows carried the metal frames with them. Through the gaping roof tongues of' flame leaped 50 feet. Seemed Hopeless

The Brigade’s task seemed hopeless to the onlookers. So rapidly had the fire spread and so fiercely was it burning thcit it appeared useless to fight it with any hope of success. Metal window-frames were buckling under the heat and what glass had not been broken was melting. The heat was unbearable within yards of the building. Burning particles of packing came in showers from the factory. Nearby residents lost no lime in safeguarding their belongings. Danger was greatest in a Ruskin street kidging-house next to the factory, and its nearest wall was charred. The fire was under control before 8 o'clock, but the wreckage smouldered all night and firemen were kept on duly continuously.