£5000 LOSS

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 375, 17 March 1932, Page 11

£SOOO LOSS

CITY FACTORY DESTROYED. Early Morning Blaze. VALUABLE PLANT AND STOCKS LOST. Loss in buildings, plant and stock amounting to over £SOOO was caused by a fire this morning at the premises of Clarks, Ltd., confectionery manufacturers, at 26, Harman Street, Addington, when a factory was destroyed. In addition, the firm will lose considerably because of the Easter orders which it will now have to cancel. The building, a wood and iron structure, covered a large area of land, but all j that was left this morning was the ! partly destroyed store and a twisted heap of ironwork. The origin of the fire is a mystery, but it is believed to have started in the north-east corner, near the furnaces. The factory has been working overtime for the past six weeks, and last night employees were on the premises until 9 o'clock. When Mr E. H. Clark, the manager of the place, left, the factory seemed secure, and it was not until 3 a.m. that it was noticed to be on fire. The flames were seen first from the top floor of the Zealandia Milling Company. Employees of that firm gave the alarm and engines from the Central and Sydenham Fire Brigades turned out. By this time the flames had a strong hold, and when the first engine arrived the whole of the east side of the building was blazing. Fortunately there was practically no wind, as otherwise the houses which surround the factory would have been in danger. A Hopeless Task. It was a hopeless task from the start and the firemen concentrated their attention on saving the store as well as the neighbouring premises. The heat was terrific and the stock of sweets in the factory added continually to the fierceness of the fire. The factory was soon but a shell with corrugated walls and roof, match-lined, and it gradually collapsed as the fire burned away the supports. The flames shot high in the air, and attracted considerable attention, and in spite of the earliness of the hour there was soon a large crowd of onlookers. The premises continued burning until after 5 o’clock, and it was 7.30 before the last engine left the place. The factory then was merely a heap of twisted iron shrouding the machinery which had been reduced to scrap-iron. A pile of empty tins formed a mound in the centre. All that remained was the storeroom, and this, too, was badly damaged. The stocks of sweets had melted away. The loss to the company is considerable. The value of the building, stock and fittings is estimated by Mr Clark at over £SOOO. The insurances, in the British Traders’ and Yorkshire offices, total about £2500. The fire means also a considerable*loss to the employees of the company.