THE WORKS DESTROYED BY FIRE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4801, 23 June 1939, Page 5

THE WORKS DESTROYED BY FIRE.

EARLY MORNING CONFLAGRATION.

CARBONATE WORKS DESTROYED

TE KUITI LIME COMPANY’S PLANT. BUILDING HOUSING KILNS SAVED. One of the most disastrous fires in the history of Te Kuiti occurred early this morning when the carbonate works of the Te Kuiti Lime Company, the second largest works of their kind in the North Island, were completely destroyed by fire. The large high wooden building housing the works burnt with a fierce intensity, the Fire Brigade, owing to the lack of water, being forced to stand off and watch the blaze. It was most fortunate that the burnt lime plant, housed in the building just a few yards away, did not catch alight, for without water there would have been no chance of checking the flames. When the Brigade arrived on the scene sparks and embers were floating in through the open windows, placing this building housing the kilns in the greatest danger, but when these were closed the main walls of the building showed no signs of catching. A watchful eye was kept on it, but nothing could be done to stem the conflagration in the carbonate works.