FIRE IN A FLAX STORE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18563, 22 November 1923, Page 8

FIRE IN A FLAX STORE.

■'■■: : '*■;,.;'". •■■■' ■■•>•..'■' '!'lo;'*i.- '■■■■■ V-"- : CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE

MANY BALES OF" TOW BURNED

OTHERS SUFFER FROM WATERS

A flax store and contents/ in Stanley. Street, owned by Donaghy's, Ltd., rope and twine manufacturers, were extensively damaged by a fire which j broke out shortly after 4.30 p.m. yesterday afternoon. The store, which is a large corrugated iron building, detached from the main rope works, contained 50 tons of tow,; valued at about £1000. The City Fire .Brigade was promptly on the scene, but the inflammable nature of the compressed bales of tow and the clouds of pungent smoke that poured from the building rendered the work of. salvage very difficult. The intense heat of the blazing tow made a portion of the sheetiron roof nearly red-hot, nevertheless the firemen succeeded in tearing off a portion of the iron- and gaining access to the heart of the blaze ?with two leads of hose. f ■ The interior,of the building was oeluged with water, and within half an hour the outbreak wa,s well .under control, although dense yellow smoke continued to pour from the doors and windows of the store for some time . afterwards. Inspection of the interior of the building revealed that all the bales on one side of the store had been destroyed, while the remainder were either scorched or sodden with water. The outbreak is attributed to spontaneous combustion. Both the store and contents are insured, but the particulars were not available last evening. ■ ,