A DISASTROUS FIRE.
FREEZING WORKS DESTROYED. WHANGAREI, January 16. A fire, which caused damage estimated aft approximately £IOO,OOO, occurred on Saturday afternoon at the freezing works of W. and R. Fletcher (Ltd.), situated at Reotchi (Whangarei Heads). Work for the week ceased at noon, and most of tho employees were away from the locality at the time of the outbreak, which one of the watchmen discovered at half-past 2. The flames had then a - *o<) bold, and, -despite the full use of fire-fighting appliances, the slaughterhouse, the hide floor, with frozen stock and machinery, also all the offices and a storeroom, were completely destroyed. The moderate wind blowing maintained tho direction away from the other buildings, which otherwise would have been involved in total disaster. Tho cause of the fire is unaccountable, unless it possibly occurred through the fusing of an electric wire. The fire means the stoppage of operations for an indefinite period and a large number of men being thrown out of employment. The insurances are unknown here, as they were conducted through the Auckland offices of the company.
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Bibliographic details
Otago Witness, Issue 3488, 18 January 1921, Page 37
Word Count
181A DISASTROUS FIRE. Otago Witness, Issue 3488, 18 January 1921, Page 37
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