FIRE AT NGAHAURANGA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1163, 15 June 1894, Page 42

FIRE AT NGAHAURANGA.

WELLINGTON MEAT EXPORT COMPANY'S WORKS. At about 20 minutes to 12 o'clock Tuesday night the Lambton Ward firebell pealed out an alarm, and the Fire Brigade turned out promptly to cope with the conflagration. A telephone message -was received from Ngahauranga to the effect that the works of the Wellington Meat Export Company were on fire, and that, as the property was of considerable dimensions and of considerable value, assistance was urgently needed. A flare in the sky denoting that the conflagration was northwards, grew more marked in a very short space of time. The night was beautifully fine, and the scene of the outbreak was easily discoverable, a mere glance round sufficing to indicate the location. The lurid light and the smoke-darkened atmosphere in the immediate vicinity made a somewhat striking spectacle. The Fire Brigade travelled out at hot speed, as Hid other people interested, including the representatives of insurance companies. There is a nightwatchman employed, but it appears that it was not he who discovered the fire, Mr Newland, manure manufacturer, being the first to give the alarm. Tliis was at about half-past 11 o'clock, and it was consequently not very long after the true bearings of the fire had been ascertained, that the alarm was sounded in the city. The flames wero first seen in a store-room in the southern portion of the boiling-down works. The manager, Mr F. G. Moore, was called, and it was discovered on superficial examination, which was unfortunately found to be quite sufficient under the circumstances, that the flames had a tremendous hold. The services of the employees of the Company wero at once called into requisition, and they worked with a will to subdue the flames, the special fire appliances and water supply being utilised. Good service was rendered, but owing to the great start the flames had attained their efforts were greatly nullified. They got the hose to bear upon the slaughter-house at the commencement of the fire, but the boilingdown works were completely destroyed, with a quantity of valuable machinery. The building contained manure-making machinery, a drying machine imported from America and the tallow plant, consisting of two large steam boilers, five large vats, five refining tanks, and a 20 horse-power driving engine for manure manufacture. When the flames were first observed they were bursting twenty feet through the roof. The boiling-down works were in the course of a very short space of time a huge mass of flames. The manure works, which were only divided from the place on fire by a right-of-way about 10ft wide, also caught, and despite all efforts made by those present, both places were completely destroyed.

Tne manure works contained about 400 tons of manure.

Tho fire was given considerable impetus owing to the fact that thero wore fifty casks of tallow and 140 drums of neatsfoot oil Btored on tho premises, and which were entirely destroyed. Tho slaughterhouse, which is located on the side of tho hill above the boilingdown works, was considerably scorched, Tho freezing wol'ks, which stand beyond tho slaughterhouse, were quite" safe from destruction.

Tho Fire Brigade had a good pressure of water on tho burning buildings at one o'clock, when tho wind commenced to freshen, but not to any great extent. Everybody at Ngaliauranga turned out to see the firo after" the alarm was given, and when the flames wero at their lieltfht and tho whole valley illuminated, the scene was striking in the extreme. Thero wero three truck loads of coal stationed alongside the burning building, and steps were at onco taken to havo them removed to a place of safety. As far as wo could ascertain tho boilingdown works were insured for .£750 in tho Commercial Union office, and .£250 in tho National office. Wo asked an officer of the Company by telephone to give us details, but ho doclined, giving as his reason that the list was too complicated even to state the insurances approximately. Mr Sladden, manager of tho Company, is indisposed, and was therefore unable to reach Ngahauranga. Tho insurances on the buildings destroyed by Tuesday night's fire at the Wellington Meat Company's works at Ngahauranga wero as follow i Boilingdown and manure works—Buildings and plant, Phoanix, .£2750; Commercial Union, .£750; Alliance, .£SOO. Manure shed, Commercial Union, .£2OO. The stock is covered in tho British and Foreign office. The slaughtering building, which appears slightly damaged, is also covered in various offices, the total insurances on the company's Ngahauranga works reaching about .£40,000. Tho Phoenix insurance on the buildings and plant is re-insured as follows t North British and Mercantile, .£250; National, .£250; Imperial, J 537 5; London and Lancashire, .£375 ; South British, .£SOO. The manure at the works was still smouldering on Wednesday. As the only means of stopping the firo it was decided to pull down the stacks of bags containing tho manure. Steps will be taken immediately to reinstate the buildings and machinery so far as is possible.