A SPECTACULAR FIRE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19970, 11 December 1926, Page 13

A SPECTACULAR FIRE.

BLAZE IN THE CITY. PATTERN SHOP DESTROYED^ BRIGADE’S ARDUOUS TASIL The Dunedin Engineering and Steel Company’s pattern shop in Willis street was destroyed by fire last night. It was at a quarter to eight that the alarm was received, and people in the streets, looking towards the harbour aide of the railway station saw a red glare that brought them scurrying in thousands’ towards the scene of the outbreak. , By the time the two machines arrived’ it could be seen that the firemen -had stern work ahead of them, for flames were, plunging in whirling cascades out of the top windows, and great columns of billowy smoke were surging skyward. Three leads of hose were immediately, directed on the building, but the task was hopeless. For one thing, the waterpower was very feeble, and one hose, would not play more than 10ft or 12ft About 9.15, however, the supply increased' enormously, and the pressure was all that it should have been in the earlier stages" of the fire. ~'l But it was a long, long time before the water made any appreciable difference, for the building inside was nothing lest than a raging furnace, the heat of which increased in intensity as the minutes spedby. , At a grave risk to life and limb, the* firemen climbed the roof of an adjacent shed and placed ladders against the corrugated ■ iron wall, which was almost white hot in places. Had one of them slipped against the wall the result would have been terrible. Every now and then a piece of burning timber would come hurtling through the air and land beside the labouring toeli, who were making valiant efforts to keep the nozzles of the hoses directed through the windows. ■■ u , Presently the wind changed* And th& sea of smoke, which had been blowing over the factory yard, drifted in the opposite direction, and, choking and half blinded, the men were driven from their posts until the next opportunity to resume their positions came. This pened time and again. And then, at 9.15, the roof fell in witE a crash, and from inside, the flames, now released, soared up into the night air and* lit up the streets for hundreds of yards,* disclosing every face in the great crowd. In many ways the work of the firemen resembled the fruitless task of Sisyphus, for no sooner had they suppressed the nW in one quarter and turned their attention* to another part of the building than the, flames would spring to life with new ferocity in the original spot. _ . . But the work went on. The insulatiop. on the electric wires had caught fire by, this time, for the flames were reaching: almost halfway across the street, and,the crowd, expecting the wires, to descend among them, made a sudden scatter rqr safety. With the roof down, the- fourwalls of the building were like, a funneV and the tremendous draught that waist created carried the sparks hundreds of feet into the air. Ever and anon, a sheet of iron would curl up like paper anjh plunge downwards, the noise of its fall drowned in the other sounds. \ Gradually the fire began to burn itself out, and when the bottom floor _ was accessible three of the men operating from Willis street, climbed through a lower window and, with two of them holding thq nozzle, they succeeded in reaching the* seat of the conflagration, and, after quetich--ing the flames down below, they .directed the hose upwards. , This was the beginning of the end. - By, 9.20 the fire was burning spasmodically on the top ■ floor, and 10 minutes later smoke and clouds of steam were ail that, remained of what had proved to b e ope: of the fiercest and moet spectacular fixes, seen in Dunedin for vears. The bmlduig was not a large one, ut the contents were of a particularly inflammable nature. The top floor was packed with 40 or 50 years old, and all thoroughlysoaked with oil and- graphite, so tha* there was small wonder that the blaze was so quick in its development. The loss of these patterns is very serious to the company, for although they were not of a great intrinsic va!ue they, were essential for the fulfilment of orders,, and the result will be that .a tremendous amount of work will be held over. • The bottom floor was stacked with weirseasoned timber, and this also burned hx® matchwood. . , , N The fire was fiercest in the . centre oi tno ton floor and in the north-Weat corner, the wall of which was white hot on the outside. The causa is not known. An outbreak occurred in the samw building a few weeks ago, when a little damage was, done on the bottom fiooA The brigade on this occasion received early alarm, and the blaze was quicidy suppressed. . Vv The building and contents are insured with the Alliance office, but the amounts are not yet knovvn. ' It may be mentioned m passing that tfie Roslyn Boy Scout troop were on the scene, and they gave the brigade every assistance in keeping the crowd back and in other duties. OUTBREAK AT ROSLYN. A burning fowlhouse. situated on the property owned by Mr H . A * Claremont street, Roslyn, claimed the attention of the Roslyn ade ’ Btl mented; by several men irora headquarters, a few minutes after 9 o clock last nighty The fowlhouse, which was situated very close to the large wooden dwelling MCP: pied by Mr Salmon, was blazing fiercdy when the brigade arrived, but little difficulty was experienced in suppressing tne outbreak, which was confined to the building The fowlhouse was practically gutted. It is insured for £l5O With the New Zealand office. ’,/*