TIMBER MILL FIRE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22145, 26 June 1935, Page 13

TIMBER MILL FIRE

INQUIEY CONTINUED INSURANCES ON PROPERTY SPARKS FROM ENGINES . EXPERT EVIDENCE CALLED The inquiry into the fire which destroyed the main buildings and plant or the Morningside Timber Company, Limited, on December 1, called at the instigation of the Auckland Metropolitan Fire Board, was continued before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., coroner, yesterday. Evidence was given on Monday, when the inquiry opened, indicating that the outbreak originated from a spark from a passing locomotive, which ignited grass on the mill property. Expert evidence relating to fires, and the efficiency of the engine from which the spark was alleged to have been ejected, was heard yesterday. Mr. North appeared for the Fire Board, Mr. V. R. Meredith and Mr. McCarthy for the Railway Department and Mr. Stanton for the Morningside Timber Company. Detective Finlay represented the police. Evidence was given yesterday by William Laird Wilson, superintendent of the metropolitan fire brigades, that fires attributed to sparks from railway engines were common in the summer months, the percentage in the Mount Albert district being high. Such fires were exceptionally numerous last summer, and the position assumed serious proportions. Spark-throwing Problem The Coroner: But that was an exceptionally dry summer. Mr. Meredith, to witness: You know the matter of preventing the throwing of sparks from locomotives has been the subject of engineering inquiry all over the world?

Witness: Yes, that is so. Mr. Meredith: Then you recognise the difficulties? Witness: Yes. It is a question of the right fuel and other factors. Mr. Meredith: You know it is an engineering fact that 100 per cent efficiency cannot be attained in this direction? We will call expert evidence to show this, and reference will be made to judgments by the High Courts of England. Will you accept that? Witness: I will have to. Mr. Meredith: There are plenty of grass fires which have occurred away From railway lines? Outbreaks Near a Railway Witness replied that there were numerous instances, and admitted causes could not be given in all cases. Lighted cigarette ends were a positive menace. "I will put it to you. fairly, I think, that when a fire occurs near a railway line, just after the passing of a train, the assumption is that the outbreak was caused by a spark from the engine," said Mr. Meredith. Witness: That is the position, roughly. Mr. Meredith: It is possible that the inference would not he correct.'' Witness: Yes. In considering the cause of many fires, on© h<is to reacn. an assumption on a few available facts. In reply to further questions, witness stated that grass fires could quite possibly be started through the agency of great heat interacting with substances such as glass and metal. There was an instance in which circumstantial evidence pointed to a fire occurring through the rays of the sun passing through a window. "A First-class Spark Thrower" Witness said he was of the opinion that the fire which destroyed the Morningside timber mill had been caused by a spark from a locomotive. Mr. Meredith: Ah, it was near a railway. (Laughter.) Witness added that in January 47 grass fires were attributed to sparks from locomotives. William Palmer, consulting engineer, said he had examined the locomotive attached to the train which had passed along the railway embankment prior to the outbreak of fire at the mill. "In my opinion you might get 98 per cent ; efficiency regarding the prevention of sparks, if certain measures were taken, but not the 100 per cent talked about by Mr. ileredith," he stated. Witness continued that the engine in question had been fitted to operate on hard coal, whereas soft coal, had been used on December 1, when the mill fire occurred. Soft coal was more liable to throw off sparks-than the hard variety. The design of the locomotive's ashpan was at fault, and the ashes were liable to fall on to the track, the engine appearing to be a first-class spark thrower. Maurice Henry Morris, manager of the timber company, said the book value of the buildings and plant destroyed was over £15,000, the estimated value being £12,377. The total insurances amounted to just over £IO,OOO. Mr. Meredith: What insurances have you received? Witness: We have received £5023, and there is nothing more to come. Former Employee's Evidence John Cochran, an engineer formerly employed by the company- said that at about 11.45 a.m. on the day of the outbreak he placed sawdust and wood shavings in the boiler fire in the hopper house at the mill. When the boiler fire had died down before 12 o'clock, the surrounding brickwork was hosed down as a precautionary measure. Small fires occurred in the hopper house among collections of dust and shavings in a corner, sometimes two or three times a week. Questioned by Mr. Stanton, witness said the small fires were of not sufficient significance to report to the office. Evidence was given by Percy Manning, foreman at the mill, that no fires had been caused in the hopper house to his knowledge. ' The proceedings were adjourned until to-morrow morning, the coroner remarking that he intended to examine the locomotive concerned before the resumption of the inquiry.