BUNNYTHORPE FIRE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17173, 1 February 1930, Page 15

BUNNYTHORPE FIRE

THEORY AS TO CAUSE BREAKDOWN IN CABLE The opinion that, lightning which Hashed across the Maiiswntu district might have been responsible for the terrific explosion and subsequent- fire which destroyed the Public Work’s Do pnitment-s sub-station at. Ilunnythorpe. was expressed by the, engineer in charge Of the Mangahao hydro-electric works, Air. 1. It. Robinson, *m an interview. Alter a thorough examination Mr. "Robinson came to the conclusion that, an electrical failure had occurred in the Underground cable itself, which carries t lie il,ooo-volt load from the Public Works Department sub-station to that of the Mamiwatu-Oroua Power Board “There was some lightning about, and this mav have, alioectd it, ’ he said, “and there was probably a weakness in the cable as well.” A breakdown in tho cable had caused a short-circuit, and as a force of 80,000 h.p. was behind it, tlie tremendous power generated can only bo imagined. No wonder there was an explosion. Tho actual damage, however, was caused not by tho explosion hut by the subsequent fire.” “It will bo -possible to salvage part of tho apparatus stored in the building. The real seat of tho trouble, we arc now certain, was in tho cable, just above the floor, where it enters tho station, added Mr. Robinson, who stated also that it was very lucky that tho wind was blowing away from the. big outdoor transformers on the main lino connecting Mangahao and Waikare'monna. Mr. A. Garev, inspecting electrical engineer of the Public Works Department, visited Bunnvthorpo, and after an inspection, said that a difficulty was anticipated in securing machinery to replace that destroyed. It would, however, have to bo ordered from England, and some four or five months would elapse before it arrived. The concrete shell of the building still remains, and its it does not appear to have been seriously affected by the heat, it will probably not- he necessary to rebuild.— Dominion. >