FACTORIES DESTROYED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 276, 21 November 1928, Page 5

FACTORIES DESTROYED

FIERCE FIRE IN SYDNEY FINE WORK BY BRIGADES Within two hours on the afternoon of November 8 two factories were gutted in. Botany and Renwick Streets, Redfern, Sydney, and f <ur houses were extensively damaged. The damage is estimated at clt-e upon £50,000. A lirenian, Gordon McKinnon, was seriously hurt when a wall fell, and Mrs Edith Evans, of Botany Street, collapsed at her residence, and, falling downstairs, injured herself. The factories burnt were Dickson’s box factory and Rileys, Limited, furniture The fire broke out shortly after noon, and for two hours over 40 firemen, with five, engines, fought the flames. The flames soon secured a hold of the factory, which was constructed of iron, wood and brick, and in a short time the pF ■<? was 1> -ning from the back to the fr nt. It was only a onestorey structure, and the flames were not shooting very high, but they devoured boxes, woodwork and many machines used in the making of boxes. The alarm had been given and the Redfern firemen, under Station Oflicor Bodwen, reached the spot in a few seconds owing to the dose proximity of the blaze J o the fire station. In the meantime the fire, was burning fiercely at Dickson’s factory, and residents on cither side- were doing their best to got furniture to the st reel . In a very short time it was realised that Dickson’s was beyond saving, and it was found that the flames had travelled from the back of iho building to the ’• -r of Riley’s furniture factory, which is of two storeys and faces Renwick Street. Employees had had to rush from Dickson’s factory, and it was now the turn of workmen at Kiley’s to move as fast as they could from their benches. The blaze gained a quick hold of Riley’s and iu a very short time the whole place was well alight. Y.’ithin a short time the Iwo buildings were destroyed. The firemen fighting on the Renwick •Street side had a startling experience when the roof and brick walls of Riley’s collapsed. Several of them had narrow escapes but Fireman McKinnon was struck with a lot of brickwork and was knocked down. He was quickly rescued, and taken f.»> the HoutL Sydney Hospital, where a stitch was inserted in his lip. The flames spread to the adjoining houses, and four were considerably damaged, with some of the furniture. A young racing greyhound gave an unheeded warning to residents nearby. The dog barked and howled, but no notice was taken of it, and eventually it perished iu the flames, having been unable to escape, because it was secured by a collar and leash to its kennel. Electric light wires were struck by the streams from the hoses on the Renwick Street side, and fell into the street. A staff of mechanics, working iu gusts of fierce heat, repaired the damage while police kept the salvage gangs out of reach of the live wires. After they had hurled or dragged all their furnitiMO into the street three families in Renwick Street breathed again ■ - the brigade got the fire beaten before the flames had broken into their homes.