FIERCE WHIRLWIND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22225, 27 September 1935, Page 10

FIERCE WHIRLWIND

DAMAGE AT TE AROHA

FACTORY PARTLY UNROOFED WRECKAGE FLUNG HIGH IN AIR [by tei-kgeaph —owx correspondent;] TE AROHA, Thursday With a loud roar that brought those in the vicinity out of doors iri alarm, a whirlwind of unusual force struck Kendrick Street this morning, centring at first in the middle of the roadway. The disturbance, covering a radius of about 15ft., moved along the clear street, and nearing the bridge it changed direction and struck the joinery factory of <J. N. Wood and Son. A section of the roof, comprising 30 sheets of iron with the rafters and ' beams attached, was hurled into the air, twisting and breaking asunder as it continued to soar up to a height estimated at 600 ft.

So high did the wreckage go and for so long, seemingly, did it remain in the air that the crowd of spectators quite forgot their dangerous position and continued to gather below. Fortunately, however, when the whirlwind eventually subsided the greater part of the iron and timber was carried over into vacant land beside the bridge, though a few sheets fell back into the street and two or three of the rapidlyscattering spectators had narrow escapes. Inside the factory Mr. Horace Wood had an unenviable experience, being immediately beneath the affected area and narrowly ' escaping injury from a falling rafter. Following the whirlwind a strong gale set in and with part of the roof missing the destruction of the entire building was threatened. To prevent this it was essential to repair the roof at once, and Mr. Wood and his staff tackled the dangerous job of laying the sheets in a strong gale. After five hours' strenuous work the roof was replaced and the building wau made safe.