BLAZE ON STAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10474, 3 January 1928, Page 6

BLAZE ON STAND.

MILD SENSATION AT PARK

A mild sensation stirred the large crowd attending the motor cycle races at the Park racecourse yesterday afternoon, when a fire broke out in the main grandstand fronting the lawn.

The blaze was discovered when excitement was running high with Coleman riding in the President’s Hndicap. The stand was packed to overflowing when smoke was noticed coming from beneath the floor of the stand, and immediately the crowd in tho vicinity rushed down the steps to the safety' of the lawn. The officials of the Motor-cycle Club in company with Superintendent Kane and members of the Five Brigade, and the police co-operated in taking measures to prevent the spread of the blaze and the crowd was moved from the stand in an orderly manner, hut hot without' considerable excitement that -detached from the interest in the race,

Prompt investigation showed that the supports beneath tho seating accommodation cf the stand a couple of steps above the most westerly steps leading from the lawn to the stamjl were alight. A bucket brigade was quickly formed by members of the fire brigade and a- number of seating boards of the stand were torn up and the seat of the conflagration attacked from above and below was quickly suppressed, but not before some £.50 worth of damage had been done. The supports beneath the stand seats were well Ablaze and the ■boarding of 'the ceiling fad the room below the stand was on fire wlmn the outbreak was discovered, and prompt measures were taken justin time to save the stand from dost ruction.

It is believed that the origin of the fire was a lighted cigarette butt '-arelossly thrown down, which had become embedded between the cracks of the stand seating setting alight to the supports. The' Fire Brigade was summoned to the- scene hut their assistance was not required.^ The crowd got a further thrill a little later when the fire again brokeout in the same place apparently not having been properly extinguished, and fanned by a strong breeze again burst into flame, A few buckets of water, however, sufficed to discharge the outbreak. y ft. is-’stated that Mr Andrew Guthrie wils responsible for the prompt action in checking the spread of the fire and that he in company with members of the hand immediately attacked the scat.of tho outbreak and in doing so' the workers were severely burned al lout the hands . in removing the burning timbers.