£l00,000 Damage At Confectionery Plant

Northern Advocate, 16 March 1948, Page 4

£loo,ooo Damage At Confectionery Plant

AUCKLAND, Tue. (Sp.)—Fire destroyed about one-third of the confectionery factory of Heards, Ltd., in Parnell Road, last night. Much valuable stock and machinery were lost and the damage is estimated at £IOO,OOO.

The cause of the outbreak is unknown.

. The factory is L-shaped, and the fire began on the ground lioor, near the junction of the two wings, one of which is of four storeys and the other of two.

It appeared trifling at first,, but gained a great hold within a few minutes, caught inflammable contents and wooden floors, and was soon raging through the roof. RAPID SPREAD Within half an hour of the alarm being given at 5.31 p.m., the thousands who had assembled saw that the flames had spread from bottom to roof at the back of the bigger building, had eaten their way half-way along the twostoreyed portion which has an entrance in Windsor Street, and were shooting through broken windows and lighting the evening sky. Four brigadesmen were taken to the Auckland Hospital for treatment of injuries.

They were: Mr George Dickson, aged 34, who had his left wrist severely cut: Mr Louis McNamara, aged 24, whose back was cut by glass; Mr R. R. Walker, who suffered a gashed hand;

and Mr T. Giles, who was overcome by smoke. All were discharged later. SPEEDY EVACUATION Nearby residents in Ruskin Street and Windsor Street lost no time in evacuating their personal belongings, and within minutes the streets were covered with a variety of household effects. The fire was practically out at 8 o’clock, but a safety patrol was kept on all night.