FIRE AT THE CORPORATION YARDS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLI, Issue 6986, 12 October 1883, Page 2

FIRE AT THE CORPORATION YARDS.

Yesterday morning, at about a quarter to 10 o’clock, a fire occutred at the Corporation yards, Clyde-quay, iu a shed devoted to preparing tho asphalt used in the formation of the footpaths, &c. It appears that the workmen had drawn the fire from underneath one of the boilers used for heating the tar preparatory to refilling the boiler with cold tar. One bucketful of the liquid was pouted into tho heated boiler, the result being that the sudden contact caused the tar to expand into large bubbles, which overflowed the boiler,' and some of the stuff failing on tho fire of an adjacent boiler, ignited, and instantaneously the place became a mass of seething tar and flame. The wood-work of the shed is, as a matter of course, thoroughly impregnated with the fumes of tar, and the consequence was that the fire spread with singular rapidity. Dense volumes of think black smoko issued from the building, and for a time it was imagined by those at some distance from the yards that a most serious confligration had occurred. Mr Baird, the City Engineer, and Councillor S. Brown were promptly on tho spot; and some time before the bell at the Mannera*street fire station had given an alarm, had caused the Corporation fire hose to be connected with the hydrant, and a good bead of water was got to play on the fire. The efforts of the Corporation men were soon after seconded by the Municipal Fire Brigade, and the supply of water being good, the flames were very soon extinguished. The shed is completely gutted, and the wood work, being charred, will have to be replaced. The damage occasioned is estimated at about £BO or £9O, but is covered by insurance. The place was insured in the Colonial Office for £350, the risk being subdivided among the varioue other insurance offices in the city.