FACTORY FIRE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22318, 16 January 1936, Page 10

FACTORY FIRE

EXTENSIVE DAMAGE VALUABLE STOCK LOST OLD WOODEN BUILDING RAPID SPREAD OF FLAMES About .L'2ooo worth of stock was destroyed by a lire which occurred in the cordial factory of the Citrus Products Company, Limited, Ewington Avenue, Mount Eden, oil' Dominion Road, shortly alter 11 o'clock last night. Tho building, an old wooden structure, which stands behind tho Dominion .Road branch of tho Auckland Savings Bank, was extensively damaged. Tho alarm was given by :i resident in a boardinghouse behind tho factory, who saw smoke and flames issuing from the front portion. By the time two engines from tho Mount. Eden and Mount Albert Fire Brigades arrived, tho lire had gained a good hold, and flames were shooting from tho windows and roof. J,cads of hose were taken from Dominion Road and Ewington Avenue, and the firemen fought strenuously to get the fire under control, but found it impossible to save tho stock, some of which was of an inflammable nature. Tho gases liberated from the essences used in the manufacture of fruit drinks hindered the men in their work, hut after about three quarters of an hour they succeeded in extinguishing the flames.

Tlio rapid spread of the fire was caused by the fact that tlio stock included £'GO worth of waxed paper cups stored in an attic upstairs, quantities of straw and paper used for packing, wooden crates and a number of jars of essences containing spirits. Tlio building, which was formerly used as a chapel jit the New Zealand Institute for the Blind, and was moved in sections from Parnell several years ago, adjoined a cabinet-making factory, which, however, was not damaged. The cordial factory was leased by the company from the firm of C. Aickin and Sons, Limited.