Four Fires Cause Little Damage

Northern Advocate, 24 January 1939, Page 3

Four Fires Cause Little Damage

During the last fortnight, the Whangarei Fire Brigade has been called out on four occasions to fires, none of which have caused any great damage. At 11.30 a.m. yesterday a cgll was received from Mair Avenue, where a fire had taken place in a wash house of Mr J. McCluskey, but the prompt arrival of the brigade saved the building, only minor damage being done. Spontaneous Combustion Theory. It is thought by the Superintendent, Mr C. H. Chissell, that the fire started in a bundle of cleaning cloths, spontaneous combustion being the cause of the ignition. Mr Chissell stated that some modern cleaners contained Ipghly inflammable ingredients and rags soaked with these chemicals would readily ignite. Grass Fire Suppressed

Last Friday a call was received to suppress a grass fire along the railway line in Manse Street, the spread of the fire endangering houses in the vicinity, but the brigade suppressed the outbreak before any damage was done. A heap of burning rubbish at the foot of Cameron Street was responsible for a call last Sunday morning, a passer-by noticing the flaming heap and notifying the brigade. The fire was suppressed without damage to any of the buildings nearby. Pole Arm Ablaze Last week the brigade turned out to a lire in the arm of a telephone pole in Maunu Hoad. The pole was not damaged, but the arm was burnt through. In his long experience, said Mr Chissell, this is the most peculiar outbreak that he had ever come across. The. pole itself was not alight, the fire starting in the arm. If the arm had been carrying power lines, a short circuit could have accounted for the outbreak, but this seemed hardly likely with a telephone circuit.