FIRE DESTROYS THE RACECOURSE STAND AT RANGIORA

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 October 1946, Page 6

FIRE DESTROYS THE RACECOURSE STAND AT RANGIORA

(P.A.) Christchurch, Oct. 29 Lighting up the sky for miles around, a fire which broke out before midnight last night, destroyed the main public grandstand at Rangiora Racecourse. The building was insured with the London and Lancashire Insurance Company for £l5OO, according to the secretary of the North Canterbury Racing Ciub, Mr. P. I. Byrne. He estimated that the loss to the club would be much greater than that. Flames scorched one end of the stewards' stand, which was about a chain away Ti’um the main stand, and is now the only stand on the racecourse. However, members of the Rangiora Volunteer Fire Brigade fought successfully to prevent the spread of the flames. The heat ot the lire cracked windows in a whare within a chain of the fire. The whare was occupied by the caretaker, Mr. C. F. Bell, who gave the alarm. Mr. Bell was awakened by the barking of his dog a few minutes before midnight. He discovered that the west end of the grandstand had just burst into flames. The fire spread quickly, burning right along the front of the stand &nd then going through to the back. A big crowd gathered to watch the spectacular blaze, cars coming from as far away as Swannano*a. The stand had seating accommodation for nearly 3000 people, and had tea rooms and a bar built in at the back.