INCENDIARISM?

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 87, 4 July 1927, Page 7

INCENDIARISM?

Blazing Normal School Makes Vivid Spectacle For Crowd

FIRE-FIGHTERS’ FINE WORK

rICK clouds of dense black smoke rolling across Albert Park soon attracted a large crowd to the vicinity of the Normal School in Wellesley Street last evening when an outbreak of fire strenuously resisted the efforts of the brigade for oyer an hour. A portion of the building was badly gutted. From the discovery of a heap of motor tyres in the basement, where the fire apparently started, incendiarism is suspected.

4 T 4.42 p.m., when the outbreak was noticed and the alarm given, the flames had gained a good hold. On the arrival of the brigade shortly afterwards smoke was pouring from the roof in dense clouds, flames also breaking out through the doorway and basement window. The fire had apparently begun in the basement in the south-west corner of the building, and had quickly spread to the ceiling and roof, where an effective attack upon the flames proved extremely difficult. A FINE SPECTACLE As the roof gradually fell in extra fuel was added to the flames, which were now bursting through in fiery tongues. At half-past five the flames were raging fiercely, a large shower of sparks ascending heavenwards as the eastern cupola fell through with a resounding crash. In the gathering darkness the flames provided a fine spectacle for the large crowds that had assembled in Wellesley Street and on the slopes of Albert Park. The police maintained a clear space for the brigade, and tram traffic was diverted in order to allow the brigade the unhampered use of the roadway. Leads were now playing on the outbreak from the rear and front of the building, while another lead directed on the roof from the inside of the building was also doing good work. Although It was thought that the brigade was faced with a hopeless task. Its efforts eventually proved successful, and at about 5.45 It was

apparent that the fire was well in hand. Included in the crowd were to he seen excited groups of schoolboys, some of whom, it was fairly obvious, did not view the success of the brigade with any great favour. SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES An examination of the building after the fire revealed a heap of partiallyburned motor tyres stacked in a heap near a fireplace in the basement. The school building was unoccupied during the week-end, but the door of the basement was unlocked. That the tyres had been deliberately set alight was the opinion expressed by Superintendent Wilson, of the Auckland Fire Brigade. The fire had evidently been burning some considerable time before It was discovered. A GOOD SAVE The school records were rescued from the headmaster’s room and a presentation banner, valued at £IOO, was also saved. In addition a library valued at £IOO, in the model country school, which was practically unharmed, a piano lent to the school was removed from Standard V. classroom after being damaged by water. The eastern portion of the building, containing at least five classrooms, thanks to the splendid work of the brigade, was undamaged. As is the custom of the Education Department, there was no insurance o" the building, the department carrying its own risk.