BIG FIRE AT WANGANUI.

Manawatu Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 7828, 29 September 1903, Page 3

BIG FIRE AT WANGANUI.

Sash And Door Factory Destroyed.

Water Supply Defective.

Streets Piled With Goods,

Magnlfioent Speotaole.

(Per Press Association). Wanganui, Last Night. The biggest fire ever known in Wanganui occurred to-night, when tho extensive buildings of the Sash and Door Company wore totally destroyed. A largo quantity of stacked timber was also burnt. Tho plant, which was the most up to-dato in the colony, is completely destroyed. One hundred men and boys will be temporarily thrown out of work, while the local building trade will be temporarily dislocated. The amount of damage, insurances, etc., cannot bo ascertained to-night.

[From private advices received by telephone it appears that the water supply proved defective, giving the fire a long start. Eventually pipes wero led down .to the river across the railway lines, blocking railway traffic during the time the brigade's operations wero in progress. It was feared at one time that the conflagration would spread over a wiae area and salvage operations on a large scale were entered upon, with the result that the streets in the locality were piled with goods. Luckily the weather was fine and the thoroughfares quite dry, so that no very great damage was done. Highly inflammable material in the factory burned fiercely, and the fire at its height presented a splendid spectacle.- The fire caused great excitement in the town, and its progress was watched by many thousands of people.]