WAITARA FIRE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 6, 8 January 1944, Page 4

WAITARA FIRE

DISASTROUS BLAZE AT FREEZING WORKS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE (P.A.) New Plymouth, Jan. ?. A disastrous fire occurred at the’ works of Messrs. Thos. Borthwick and Sons, Ltd., Waitara, at 5 o’clock thia morning. It completely demolished the two-storey wool cleaning and drying store and burnt out two adjoining bays. Mr. P. J. Allen, the manager said that no estimate o£ the loss or of the insurances could be given to-daf, but a survey ot the position suggests that damage must amount to many thousands ot pounds. Apart from the cost of replacing buildings, the loss of plant and stock is by tar the greatest. He sail that killing was proceeding as usual to-aay and every effort j* being made to maintain output and keep faith with the farmers of the community. In the meantime an endeavour is being made to dry the woof out in the open. The building affected involved the works in the temporary loss of approximately 24,000 feet of floor space, included in the stores that were burnt’ were 1200 bags of lime, 1000 woof packs, 119 drums of sodium, 64 bales of wool about 30,00010. of loQse wool, 13,04-1 lamb pelts and 1209 sheep pelts.

6437 green pelts and 2524 stans. Among the plant involved were two Petrie wool driers, one of which was a recent installation.

When seme workmen left the placa at 4.30 this -morning and when the night watchman made his rounds at b o'clock there were no signs ot fire visible. A lew moments later, the watchman heard a crackling sound and found dense smoke issuing from the two-storey building. The firebell and the works whistle at once gave the alarm and the brigade under

Superintendent J. Limmer, made a quick response and a splendid save by preventing the spread of fire to turther. parts of tne works. A call was made to New Plymouth brigade anl the superintendent, 'Mr. L. hartley, with three men, a truck and a trailer pump, wew. out to Waitara, out there was little they could do Dy the time they get to the works. At the height of the fire it was a most spectacular scene. Residents stated that sheets of flame shot feet into the air and it looked as if nothing could save the whole works. Accompanying the fire were rapid detonations caused by the fibro-lite roofing at the building crackling wjlh intense heat and shooting off in various sized pieces on to the adjoining roof. The heat from the fire broke the glass in all the windows in the new concrete part of the works in which the hrm’s offices are situated. As a precaution members of the staff who had assembled hurriedly placed all valuable documents in the strong room.

Mr. Allen paid a tribute to the way in which the members of the works staff had responded to-day to maintain the works output, and to those involved in the damaged section in the clearing away ol debris so that as little time as possible would be lost through the disaster. The fire had come at a most unfortunate time but the staff had given themselves to the work splendidly in order to keep the works going and to do all they could to help the farmers