CITY COUNCIL TAR PLANT CATCHES FIRE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 134, 8 June 1931, Page 8

CITY COUNCIL TAR PLANT CATCHES FIRE.

LITTLE LOSS CAUSED BY SPECTACULAR BLAZE. An outbreak of fire that occurred at the City Council’s hot mix plant at the corner of Moorhouse Avenue and Montreal Street at nine o’clock this morning assumed spectacular propertions, but was short lived. A huge pillar of dense black smoke coming from burning tar rose high into the air, reminiscent of the recent fire at the gas works plant in Moorhouse Avenue. It could be seen for a considerable distance, and a large crowd was attracted to the scene. On the arrival of the Christchurch Fire Brigade the outbreak was quickly got under control, and in little over half an hour the plant was again in operation. The outbreak was due to tar igniting, when an attempt was being made with an open flame to thaw a frozen pipe in the engine-room. Most of the fittings in the plant are coated with tar, and the fire spread to the rear portion of the engine-room and ran up the tar-en-crusted woodwork of a high stand on which a large tank containing a stock of tar was mounted. It ‘was from this tank that the huge column of smoke rose, attracting attention from all quarters of the city. Although it had the appearance of being serious, the fire had not established a proper hold by the time two engines were on the scenE. One lead was run out from a hydrant in Montreal Street, and this sufficed to extinguish the blaze. Little damage was done, the woodwork of the stand and tank being slightly charred. The fittings and equipment of the engineroom also escaped with only slight damage. Little tar stocks suffered.