DISASTROUS FIRE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 15 October 1926, Page 4

DISASTROUS FIRE

BAIGENT'S MILL DESTROYED OREAT BLAZE LAST NIGHT Fire, last night completely destroyed the building, plant, and some of the stacked limber of 11. Bsigent's mill in Wairnea Street. A small shed at the back of the Loan and Mercantile offices was also badly damaged. The damage, which is extensive, is only partly "covered by insurance. The origin of the outbreak is unknown.

Apparently the fire, began somewhere in the centre of the mill premises for, when the. alarm was given the flames had far too big a hold to allow of any of the mill being saved. The brigade arrived on the scene shortly after the bell rang, and were faced by a raging pih' of Haines leaping many feet into the. air. All that could be done, was to concentrate, on preventing a spread of the conflagration. Many buildings in Hardy-street—The Nelson Fruit Company, The Loan anil -Mercantile building and the shop block containing Macaulay's hairdressing saloon —were dangerously close, and but for the calmness of the night certainly the best efforts of the brigade would have been fruitless to stem the advance, of the flames.

A large crowd quickly gathered to witness the. spectacle of towering flames. The glare of the blaze on Ihe column of smoke which rose many hundreds'of feet into the air, advertised the size of the conflagration far and wide, and interested spectators poured down Hardy Street and Wainiea Street in motor cars, bicycles and on foot.

The various lanes running off from Hardy Street enabled hoses to be brought to bear on the flames from all sides, and the streams of water thus applied confined the fire to the mill itself. The. only other place to suffer was an old stable belonging to the Loan and Mercantile Agencv Co., Ltd, and used by them as a store for artificial manures. The exterior walls of their main building are built of corrugated iron and the site towards the timber yard is flanked by a brick wall. Nevertheless the iron roofing towards the blaze became very hot and each fresh time that a stream of water was played on it clouds of steam arose.

At 12.15 this morning the main seat of the fire was still sending up sheets of intensely hot flame, but danger of the conflagration spreading had passed. However, it was still necessary for the brigade men to exercise a keen vigilance and await the abatement of the fire. This morning a column of smoke and steam was still rising from the mini* which had burnt brightly all night. Neither the buildings and plant nor the stock of timber were covered by In-fcaran-je. and M<lssrs Baigent *wil\' therefore he heavy losers.

Air Baigent employed about twenty hands in tho yard, who will all be seriously affected by the destruction of the timber mill.

■Mr E. Baigent says that everything was in order when he left the premises at, G. 15 last evening, and he can assign no cause to the outbreak.

The first person lo notice, anything amiss at the mill was Mr Fantham, Collector of Customs. He was ascending .Mount Street, when he thought he saw a light in Ihc mill building. While he was returning to make a closer investigation the whole pile seemed to break out into flames.

The Brigade had six leads of hose going, and there was an excellent pressure of water.

Water was still being played on the burning debris this afternoon. lt is the intention of .Messrs Baigent to immediately re-build on up-to-dato lines.

PREVIOUS FIRE

Over thirty years ago a fire destroyed the mill, a large quantity of timber, and a skating rink. The rink was a large building, and had been erected during the skating craze at that period.

AN ASHBURTON OUTBREAK

ATTRIBUTED TO BURGLARS (United Press Association.) ASHBURTON, This Day. A flic at Methven this morning destroyed the premises occupied by Mr A. Stone, tobacconist, mercer, and' billiard saloon proprietor, and J. P. Stone, Secretary of the Racing and Trotting Clubs, A. and P. Association, and Dairy Company. All the contents were lostj except Stone's books and safe. The promises Vere owned by Mrs J. IL Stone, and a portion was burned last year, the present lire completing the destruction. The door of the billiard saloon, which was locked last night, was found open when the alarm was given, and burglars are suspected. The insurances are-—M. A. Stone, fitock and billiard tables, £1250 and building £IOOO. Stone estimates his loss at £IOOO above the insurance.