WAREHOUSE ABLAZE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 19 August 1941, Page 6

WAREHOUSE ABLAZE

FIERCE AUCKLAND OUTBREAK Thrilling Rescues Made STAFF JUMP TO SAFETY Auckland, 1 his Day. One of the fiercest fires in the history of Auckland developed about 8. I 5 o’clock this morning in a large warehouse occupied by John Burns and Co. Ltd., fronting Customs street and extending some distance along Commerce street and through to h ort street lane. No sooner had the large staff taken up their usual positions throughout the three-storey building than men and women were seen emerging from the windows cm the second and third storey and the roof on to the parapets, against a background of dense smoke followed almost immediately by great volumes of flame. While some of the staff climbed around the parapets on to the adjoining buildings, others were rescued by jumping from second storey windows into a tarpaulin which was held by firemen on the roof of a Customs street verandah. A middle aged woman on the second storey hesitated a long time but eventually jumped into the tarpaulin.

CROWD CHEERS RESCUERS Still earlier ladders had been rushed from neighbouring warehouses to rescue others from two sides of the building. Cheers greeted the rescue efforts especially when a man on a top storey in Customs street was brought down a telescopic ladder by firemen and the crowd of several thousands cheered to the echo. FULL FIRE-FIGHTING FORCE City fire engines which arrived first were joined from time to time by Suburban engines until the full fire-fighting force including auxiliary firemen were engaged in a tremendous battle against the fiercest flames. The heat was so great that at about 9.15 o'clock Nathan's buildings and the building of Bond and Bond opposite in Commerce street i caught alight, some firemen having to i divert their efforts until these outbreaks were subdued without causing much damage. SEVERAL LOUD EXPLOSIONS Meanwhile the main battle continued, the police moving the crowds further and further back from the blazing building in which tiie crackle of what sounded like small arms ammunition was continually heard and at 9.45 o'clock several loud explosions rocked the tottering building causing firemen to temporarily recede. At 10.15 the flames were still leaping high above the south-west corner of the building and several leads of hose were operating in Customs street and Fort street. The electric clock in Customs street frontage stopped at 8.30. TRAGEDY AVERTED The most thrilling rescue in view of the thousands of onlookers was that of a man brought to safety, the last of all those trapped on the top floor of the building. He first appeared at a window in the Customs street frontage and it was obvious that the flames gave him no chance of reaching the western side of the block from which some members of the staff had been rescued. The heat drove him on to the window sill and an unsuccessful attempt was made to reach him with a ladder from the verandah roof. By the time brigadesmen had raised a telescopic ladder the man was frequently hidden from view by dense smoke. The ladder failed by seveial feet to reach the window and preparations were made on the verandah roof for him to make a long leap into a tarpaulin. For some minutes it appeared impossible that the man could be got down by ladder and the spectators expected him to collapse trom smoke and heat any time. Eventually a second fireman climbed the ladder and joined his companion who was endeavouring to bring the man to safety. Acting under the directions of the firemen, the man worked his way from the sill down the face of the building t>» the top of the ladder, where he was supported by brigadesmen as his feet reached the top rung and when the onlookers realised that a tragedy had been averted they burst into ‘ loud cheers. The man was helped down a ladder and on reaching the verandah roof was in a state of collapse and it v.as some time before he reached the street. Then with several others he was taken away by ambulance. FIRE FULLY UNDER CONTROL The fire was fully under control by 10.30, but firemen worked around the building until after midday. There are about 175 members on the : staff of John Burns, Ltd., which firm 1 dates from 1882. All the staff members excepting about 40 typists and others had started work Those on the ground floor were startled by a blinding flash and an explosion which seemed to originate from the e’ectrical switch board on the ground floor near the passenger lift. With amazing rapidity the flames shot up the lift well to the second and top floors where much highly inflammable material was stored, including paints and varnishes. Employees on the top floors found themselves trapped. Meanwhile the caretaker broke the! automatic alarm with a broom handle, j bringing fire engines to the scene. Ambulances also arrived promptly. People proceeding to work assembled in thousands and saw reinforcements ;

of police and auxiliary lire police, and I emergency precautions scheme workers! go into action. Hoses were operated from streets i Among the earliest rescuers were six ; members of the "Star" staff with ex*! tension ladders. To reach the ladders! the trapped employees on the first floor j had to crawl along the parapets. Ad- 1 miration was expressed for the coolness of the first six girls who made their escape on these ladders, followed | by 14 men. CONDITION OI THOSE INJURED The man rescued by telescopic ladder | was Robert McWhirter, aged 30 years. 1 a traveller, who suffered acute bronchial distress. His condition is favourable. The two others admitted to hos- ; pital are. Francis Harold Baer , chief; cashier, concussion and probable fracture to the base of the skull. He is unconscious and his condition is serious: t -Miss Stella Young, burns to the face and hands, condition fair. The following were treated in the casualty ward, Lewis Goldwater, cuts j on left hand. Thomas Farrow Hirst, contusions of the left elbow' and shock: David Michael Claret, burns to the right hand. Arthur Cooper. a small' Stalp wound. Fire insurances held by the Queensland Company are aprpoximately £ 121.000 on the stocks and £50.000 on the buildings. It is estimated that these are much below the actual val- , ties.—P. A.