A New Fire Extinguisher.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1725, 26 August 1885, Page 3

A New Fire Extinguisher.

Ono of the moat useful of modern inventions has been introduced inta the Waitarapa by Mr F. H. Wood, of Greytown and Masterton, viz,, the'‘Harden Star Hand Grenades." These extinguishers were publicly tested in Masterton on Friday last, and with most satisfactory results. The experiments Died were as follows :—A building about 8 feet square, constructed of some very inflammable material was ignited, the flames being allowed to gain such hold that the crowd of onlookers were compelled by the heat to recede some distance. Three of the grenade bottles were thrown into the flames, and the counteracting effect was almost instantaneous, for in about one or two seconds the fire was so completely subdued that any person could have walked into the building without the slightest fear of being burned, only the shavings which had been saturated with kerosene showing any signs of tbe fury of the flames raging the moment before. When the tire ;had been allowed to rekindle to some extent, three more bottles were smashed in the mid st, and the effect was astounding, the tire .disappearing in quite a magical manner. .A third experiment was tried, and this time two bott es of the fluid completely annihilated the burning element. These grenades should be invaluable in nearly every house, and no persons insured or uninsured should neglect to provide themselves with such protection, if Mr Mood can only induce the public of the Wairarapato take such wise precautions as to obtain these valuable annihiktors, no doubt they will sooner or later accomplish a vast amount of good. It is said that since the commencement of the present year £25,000 worth of property has been destroyed by file in the colony, so it is quite time some more precautionary measures were taken. Mr Wood expects to have some of tbe grenades on view at his auction rooms, Greytown, this week.