DESTRUCTION BY FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19858, 31 January 1928, Page 8

DESTRUCTION BY FIRE.

outbreak in brewery. MUCH DAMAGE DONE. RIVULETS OF BOTfLED BEER. BRIGADE'S DIFFICULT TASK. ■ r'-Jf [BY TELEGRAPH.- —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] GISBORNE, Monday. An outbreak of fire at the premises of New Zealand Breweries, Limited, on Sunday night attracted a large crowd, - which watched the efforts of the brigade to save the bottling department of the brewery, which adjoins the packing room. In that portion of the factory in which the fire first obtained a hold, there were stored heavy stocks of bottled beer :« cases ready for delivery. A considerable amount of packing material added fuel to the flames, which burned fiercely until the brigade arrived. The bottling department of the brewerj is separated from the packing room by a wooden partition only, and this proved no barrier to the flames, which quickly established themselves right through this section of the building. The brigade was hampered in its work by the necessity of removing a good deal of the stock of cased beer before it could reach the seat of the fire, and the yard of the brewery was soon littered with broken c&ses and bottles, while from within the building was heard the continuous tinkle of glass breaking under the fierce heat. Rivulets of beer trickled out of the packing room and found their way into the gutters. A spectacle for the crowd was provided by the collapse of the floor of the second storey some time after the brigade arrived. The collapse had been foreseen and none of the firefighters was injured, although some of them had been working under the beams, which fell in a shower of sparks. Soon afterwards the fire was got under control, and the brigade began to finally quench the smouldering piles of rubbish, which marked the site of the packing department. It. was fortunate that the packing and bottling portion of the factory was separated from the manufacturing branches by an open space, for the damage, extensive enough as it was, would have been • very much greater. isolation of the portions .destroyed was decided upon some 17 years ago, when a fire in the packing room damaged part of the building and emphasised the danger of fire arising from 'ihe presence of so much timber and other material used in prepa.ring the products of the brewery for delivery. Tons of straw, hundreds of full and empty boxes, and thousands of labels for beer bottles fed last evening's fire. There is no accounting for the outbreak, as the staff had been absent from the building since noon on Saturday, and no visitors were allowed on the premises. The insurance on the building is held by the New Zealand Insurance Company. COTTAGE AT SURFDALE. FIRE ORIGINATES IN GUAir'S. —4 r ' A small summer cottage at Stitv'ale, Waiheke, was damaged on Sunday by an outbreak of fire which originated in some g»ass on an adjoining section. Although there was no water supply available, the Surfdale Progressive Association, which was formed to deal with such matters, was quickly on the spot, *and over 20 neighbours assisted to save the building, which was not severely damaged. The contents were practically all removed. Tho fire spread with great rapidity, everything in the vicinity being as dry as tinder at present, and the cottage, which was owned by Mr. T. F. Blomfield, of Bannerman Road, Morningside, was quickly alight. There weie no ocpants at the time. The house which was destroyed by fire at the corner of Wilson Street, and Park Road,. Ellerslie, on Sunday morning, had recently been transferred by Mr., F. Alpe to Mr. J. A. Stewart, of Lucerne Road, Remuera. The building was insured for £I2OO in the New Zealand Insurance Company, £6OO in the North British Office, and £3OO in tho South British Office. RAILWAY STATION IN FLAMES. GOOD SAVE BY THE BRIGADE. [Br TELEGRAPH. OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] RAETIEI, Monday. Fire broke out at the back of the kitchen in a small room of. the Ohakune Junction railway station last night about 10.30, and had a strong hold before it < waii noticed. The flames were through the roof of the kitchen and a store loom and. the office of the inspector of (he permanent way were considerably damage!. Tho brigade was promptly on the scene, and the railway officials had » few hoses going, but tho pressure was too lew. However, the brigade soon had the fire under control The station is a large building, and considering the small portion damaged, a great save was effected. A crowd witnessed the fire, and several people received minor injuries from broken glass. OLD TOWN HALL BURNED. BUILDING AT NGARUAWAHIA. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT-J NGARUAWAHIA. Monday. .» The old Town Hall, a wooden building, was destroyed by fire early yesterday morning. There were two outbreaks. Hie first was discovered at l.i-0 o clock and the brigade was promptly on the scene. The front of the building was then burning fiercely, but after about an houi s work the fire was apparently extinguished and the brigade left. At 7.30 the building was seen to be in full blaze, ihis time the brigade, with two leads, could not overcome the fire. The building was old and the timbers were exceeding!) dry. ;; The building was occupied by Mr. K. S. Hickling, painter, and although part of his stock was covered by insurance he is a heavy loser. A large quantity o chaff* owned by Mr. M. Jones stored in the building v/as burned. It was not ia sured. Tho building was about 50 years o» It was originally the public school. Stage and dressing rooms were built ()1 to the rear. When the present schoo was built the Town Board took Jt *** for • town hall.