Sawmill At Mangapehi

Northern Advocate, 5 December 1947, Page 9

Sawmill At Mangapehi

BURNT DOWN...

TE KUITI. Fri. (P.A.)—Fire early this morning completely destroyed Ellis and Burnnand’s No. 2 mill, popularly known as the Small Mill, at Mangapehi. The carpenters' shop and the spare pads store containing irreplaceable equipment were also consumed. Outstanding work by the fire-fight-ers. assisted bv the recently- installed fire-fighting apparatus, saved the litters’ shop and prevented the spread, of the J'lames. The saving of the fitters’ shop alongside the mill, and the prevention of the lire spreading to the new No. 1 mill and other buildings was only achieved by the outstanding work of the tire-fighters. OVER IN 2 HOURS Had it not been for the fire-fighting equipment installed only three months ago. there is no knowing where the flames would have stopped with conditions so dry. An idea of the fierceness of the (lames may be gauged from the fact that the alarm whistle went at 3 a.m. and before 5 a.m. the conflagration was practically burnt out. The mill, with its valuable machinery, had been completely destroyed. A serious feature is the loss of the gear in the spare parts store. This was Ellis and Burnnand’s central depot upon which all mills in the vicinity could draw. A watch was being kept this morning to ensure that there was no chance of the flames spreading to the N. 1 mill. Tliis mill, usually referred to as the Big Mill, was burnt to the ground on July 13, 1945, and the damage to plant, machinery and buildings was then estimated at £‘20,000. The fire was then prevented from spreading to the No. 2 mill destroyed this morning. SPEED UP OPERATIONS Despite the disaster the new No. 1 mill is carrying on and operations are being speeded up as much as possible to cope with as great a number of logs as can be managed. The company will be in a position to divert a certain proportion of the logs to other sawmills at Hcrokino, Tiroa, Maraeroa, Puhemako and Ongarue. Estimates of the damage are not S yet possible but will amount to many thousands. The buildings and plant were insured but at below replacement cost.