£3000 FIRE LOSS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23228, 23 December 1938, Page 10

£3OOO FIRE LOSS

MAMAKU TIMBER MILL ■ J, PORTION DESTROYED i —. ;; ■ I VALUABLE PLANT DAMAGED [by telegraph—OWN* correspondent] ROTORTTA, Thursday Damage estimated at slightly over £3OOO was done at the timber mill of Messx-s. G. A. Gamman and Company at Mamaku last night, when the central portion of the mill building was destroyed by fire. Valuable plant, including the main engine, a breast bend) and two docking saws, is stated to have been made useless, but the planing machines were* saved. ' The mill had closed down during the afternoon for the Christmas holidays and consequently there was no one in the building when the outbreak was first noticed. Fanned by a strong wind, the flames rapidly swept through the central block, and for some hours, until shortly before 11 o'clock, an anxious time was spent by a large body of volunteer fire-fighters, who fought doggedly to keep the flames from spreading to the adjoining buildand stacks of sawn timber. Eventually, by the use of the fire hoso equipment attached to the mill and the efforts of a bucket brigade, which did some splendid service, the danger was averted, but not before considerable damage had been done. The plant and buildings were insured for £SOOO with tho Atlas Insurance Company.