SERIOUS LOSS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 30, 6 February 1939, Page 8

SERIOUS LOSS

FIRE AT MASTERTON

FREEZING WORKS SUFFERS WILL AFFECT FARMERS I Per Press Association. ] MASTERTON, Feb. 5. The most serious fire in the Wairarapa for 20 years completely gutted the slaughter, cooling and beef rooms at Thomas Borthwick's freezing works at Waingawa at 7 o'clock on Saturday evening. Although the fire was outside the Fire Board's area, the Masterton and Carterton Brigades battled for 31 hours against the flames, using an auxiliary water supply pumped from the rear of the burning buildings, and but for their splendid efforts, the fire would have swept the whole plant. The flames made a spectacular sight that drew more than a thousand motorists to the scene. It is believed that the fire originated in the drying room where the men hang their overalls over hot pipes. It is supposed that the heat ignited matches left in a pocket. The effect of the fire will be very serious on Wairarapa farmers as this is the busiest season at the works for ten years. Officials of the firm to-night were unable to estimate the total damage. Mr. P. J. Borthwick, director of the firm, said: "We are starting again in ten days' time and arrangements are being made for drafting and killing elsewhere on Tuesday.” All that remained of the slaughter rooms, cooling chamber and beef room to-day was a tangled mass of twisted iron and charred woodwork.