FACTORY BURNED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22210, 10 September 1935, Page 8

FACTORY BURNED

KING COUNTRY FIRE UTIKU BOX BUILDING TIMBER STACKS SAVED INSURANCES TOTAL £2300 SPECTACULAR OUTBREAK [uy TELEGRAPH OWN correspondent] TAIHAPE. Monday The Utiku Box Factory was destroyed by fire early this morning. The fire was at its height as the limited express passed through Utiku at about 4.30 a.m., when the whole countryside was lit up by one of the largest and most spectacular outbreaks that has occurred in the Taihape district for several years. The fire apparently originated in the engine-room and spread with great rapidity throughout the whole building. A railway porter* was among the first to notice the fire and he immediately telephoned to Mr. G. E. Gibbs, the manager, who hurried to the scene. A bucket brigade, comprising some 40 local residents, was formed, and with great difficulty prevented the flames from spreading to the adjacent break-ing-down mill and the timber stacked near the box factory. Fortunately the stack of timber nearest the fire was half green, and this was a factor that assisted .the bucket brigade to keep the flames in check. Had this stack caught alight all the timber in the yard, aggregating over 1,000,000 ft., would probably have been destroyed, together with several huts in the vicinity. The timber contained in the other stacks was very dry and would have burned like matchwood. Water was poured on the stack of green timber and by this means the helpers succeeded in confining the fire to the box factory. Fortunately there was no wind at the time, but the task of the bucket brigade was made harder because the factory's water supply and pump was situated in the engine-room where the fire started, and no water was therefore available from this source. The box factory, including the plant and machinery, was insured for £2300 in the Yorkshire Office. There was also a small amount of insurance on the stock-in-trade. Twenty men were employed at the factory, and they will be thrown out of employment temporarily. Mr. Gibbs intends to rebuild the factory as soon as possible, as there is a demand for butter boxes, and many orders have to be fulfilled. Nothing in the building was saved. FAMILY'S NARROW ESCAPE EXIT THROUGH A WINDOW [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] THAMES, Monday The residence of Mr. L. S. James at Kopuarahi, Hauraki Plains, was burned to.the ground early on Sunday morning. Mr. James was absent at the time, but stifling smoke awoke Mrs. James, who was just able to rescue her children and leave the building through a window. She had a very narrow escape. Nothing was saved. The fire appeared to have started in the front of the house, and it is thought that sparks were blown from the dining room fire by the wind.