FIRE IN WAREHOUSE

Southland Times, Issue 22156, 26 October 1933, Page 7

FIRE IN WAREHOUSE

COMBUSTION OF OIL AND SAWDUST. SUPERINTENDENT’S WARNING. (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, October 25. The fire in Wingates warehouse on October 19 was caused by the spontaneous combustion of linseed oil and sawdust, said Mr W. L. Wilson, Superintendent of the Auckland Fire Brigade at a meeting of the Metropolitan Fire Board. “It is surprising _ that the danger of mixing linseed oil with a foreign body is not more generally known.” After the fire, said the superintendent, he made a thorough inspection of the damaged portion of the building and found six wooden barrels full of rubbish in the basement. They contained a mixture of sawdust and linseed oil. He was informed, by an employee that when the linseed oil was spilled on the floor, sawdust was strewn about to absorb it. “It ought to be more widely known that such a mixture could automatically ignite in from two to 24 hours, especially if slight pressure was applied,” he said. The danger of using linseed oil on cotton waste and - other substances needed stressing. It was more than probable that many fires in country stores were caused through such carelessness, concluded the superintendent.