TIMBER MILL FIRE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 176, 25 June 1935, Page 8

TIMBER MILL FIRE.

OPENING OF INQUIRY. BLAME ON TRAIN. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, June 24. An inquiry was opened to-day by the Magistrate (Mr F. K. Hunt) as Coroner into the fire which destroyed a timber mill at Morningside on December i, 1934. The inquiry was instituted by the Auckland Fire Board, whose counsel said at the opening that ho hoped it would be an inquiry into the safety measures taken by the Railway Department.

The fire was a very expensive one and the board was very apprehensive as to the damage that might occur next summer unless something was done to minimise tlje risk. The evidence would show that the fire had originated immediately after the passing of a train. It spread through the grass and attacked the mill, which was rapidly alight. Evidence would also be given as to the number of fires allegedly caused by locomotives. Counsel for the Railway Department protested that it must not ho assumed as a certainty that a locomotive had started the Morningside fire. Counsel for the board replied that if that was established they should inquire as to further stops which should be taken to prevent a recurrence. Evidence was given by a woman that on the afternoon of the fire, as soon as the train passed, she smelt the smoke of grass burning. Afterwards she saw smoke rising on the mill side of the railway embankment. The mill was not then alight, but she ran to get her husband to beat the fire out. AA itness said that grass fires in the locality were frequent.