DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19857, 30 January 1928, Page 8

DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

BISCUIT FACTORY SUFFERS. PLANT A-ND STOCK DAMAGED. PREMISES OF C. G. LAURIE, LTD. GOOD WORK BY TWO BRIGADES. Damage to machinery, stock and fittings estimated at £9COO was caused by a fire which occurred in the factory portion of the building occupied by C. G. Laurie, Ltd., confectionery and biscuit manufacturers, Stanley ' Street, on Saturday afternoon. The portion where sweets are made was completely destroyed, while severe damage was caused in the biscuitmaking section. The alarm was givem shortly before four o'clock by some men working nearby. When the City and Parnell fire brigades arrived shortly afterwards, flames and dense masses of smoke were issuing through the roof at the back of the building. The fire had then a good hold and threatened to envelope the building. Some difficulty was experienced, in reaching the seat of tho outbreak, as it is difficult to reach the rear portion of tha building from the street, and about 1600 ft. of hose had to bo paid out. Aided by a good flow of water, the firemen were soon successful] y attacking the flames, and about half an hour's steady work saw the outbreak under control. The building is a two-storey brick structure, and it is thought the fire started on the first floor, just above the ovens used in manufacturing the biscuits. It is stated the heat thrown off by these ovens is very great. Highly inflammable material used in the factory added fuel to the flames, and soon tha first storey was a roaring inferno. Before the brigades subdued the flames the roof fell in with a loud crash, adding to tha chaos. Dense masses of steam rose from the red-hot machinery as the water vaas played on it. Looking at the front portion of the building afterwards there was nothing to indicate there had been a fire. The whita concrete lacing showed no signs of the damage that had 'been wrought in tha back portion of the building. The brigades had made an excellent save. The storerooms, which are next to the factory, were saved, but considerable damage was caused to litock from water. The factory contained much valuable machinery and the damage to this alone is estimated at £3OOO. Other damage, amounting to approximately £6OOO, was confined to fittings and stock. The plant was insured with the South British Company for £12,000. The factory was covered for £2500 with the New> Zea. land Insurance Company, and for £4500 with the South British Company. NAPIER HOTEL BURNED. ONLY FEW ROOMS SAVED. OTHER BUILDINGS IN DANGER. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] NAPIER, Sunday. The Empire Hotel, a three-storeyed brick building, opposite the post office, was practically destroyed by fire this afternoon. Soon after the alarm was given at 4.30 o'clock the whole of the top floor was a raging furnace, and within a few minutes ih«> flames were out of control. For three-quarters of an hour the brigade battled desperately to prevent the fire spreading to adjacent buildings. In another hour and a-half the building was a smouldering heap. Of the 40 or 50 rooms in the building only one sitting room, the bar, the underground cellar and three bedrooms were saved. In a shower of sparks and flying pieces of timber, the back wall. crashed, leaving the brick side walls tottering. Had these two walls caved in, the brigade would have had even a more difficult task in preventing the fire from spreading to other buildings. Nine boarders were in residence at the time, and the staff numbered six. Very little of the furniture was saved and few belorgings were rescued by the lodgers. One man, who was asleep when the fire started, had a narrow escape from being trapped in an upper room. Smoke aroused him in time to scramble out with half his possessions. In venturing back for more of bis belongings, he was slightly burned. The origin of the fire is a mystery, but it is believed it started in the back of the hotel, near the kitchen. Mr. A. M. Herbert, the licensee, who had been in occupation only a few months, will be a heavy loser. The build- • ing was insured in the Commercail Insurance Office for £4OOO and the furniture was insured in the National Office lor £IOOO and in the South British Office for a similar amount. The Gleeson Estate, of Auckland, owns the hotel. DWELLING AT REMUERA. CONTENTS ALSO DESTROYED. A five-roomed house at 19, Bell Road, Remuera, C/wned by Mrs. Salisbury, of Bell Road, and occupied by Mr. G. G. Empson, was completely destroyed by fire on Saturday afternoon. When the Remuera fire brigade arrived the fire had a good hold, and practically nons of the contents were saved. The cause of the outbreak is unknown. Although no one was in the house at the time, Mrs. Empson had left only an hour before, when everything appeared to be in order. The building was insured for £2BO in the National Insurance Office, while the contents were covered for £l5O in the Royal Exchange Office. Mr. Empson s loss will be very severe, as the person;ii effects and furniture destroyed were valued far above the amount of the insurance. OUTBREAK IN WORKSHOP. GAS COMPANY'S PREMISES. A fire occurred in a* brick workshop m Beaumont Street, Freeman's Bay, owned by the Auckland Gas Company, Limited, yesterday afternoon. Some time elapsed before'the fire was discovered, and when the City fire brigade arrived the roof . and a large part of the top floor had been destroyed. Tho stock of gas stoves v I stored in the building was damaged, while packing cases nearby were burned.