RAILWAY BUSES BURNED

Taranaki Daily News, 26 May 1933, Page 7

RAILWAY BUSES BURNED

SHED DESTROYED AT HASTINGS. BLAME LAID ON CIGARETTE BUTT. By Telegraph—Press Association. Hastings, Last Night. The framework and upholstery of two Government railway buses, valued at £2OOO, were both completely destroyed to-night, and more extensive damage to a smaller and less valuable bus was done by fire, "which also completely gutted a large wood and iron building in which they were housed. The outbreak occurred about 10 o’clock. So far the origin is not definitely known, but it is assumed that the fire was caused by a cigarette butt in one of the buses. The last bus was garaged at 7 o’clock, since when no one connected with the bus service entered the building. The shed was capable of accommodating eight of the buses used on the Napier-Hastings run, but the three buses damaged were the only ones there at the time of the outbreak. The two larger buses have been on the run between Napier and Hastings for the past two years, and were in good condition, but the smaller one has been in use a much longer period. So strong a hold did the flames have when the alarm was given that it was not possible to remove the buses to safety. The brigade was engaged 40 minutes' before the fire was quelled. The insurances are not