THOUSANDS OF POUNDS DAMAGE BY FIRE IN HUIT TEXTILE FACTORY

Wanganui Chronicle, 26 May 1948, Page 6

THOUSANDS OF POUNDS DAMAGE BY FIRE IN HUIT TEXTILE FACTORY

(P.A.) Wellington, May 25. Damage estimated at many thousands of punds caused by a tire which late last night destroyed three-quart-of the premises of John Grant, Ltd., a branch of Felt Textiles (N.Z.), Ltd. at Gracefield, Lower Hutt. Flames raced through most of the single-storey building, which covered about an acre. Stock and machinery were a total loss. The factory, which was used for making needle felt, was packed with flock, wool, cotton, felt and other inflammable materials. Four late shift workers were still in the building at 10.55 p.m., when they saw a Jieei c f flame burst from one of the machines and one of them gave the alarm by telephone from a house next door. The factory was well alight when the firemen arrived and they were hindered in their efforts to combat the fire by stock piled high to the roof in parts of the building. In the meantime nearby residents formed a bucket brigade and, working strenuously, succeeded in keeping the blaze from adjoining houses. FIRE RAGES UNCHECKED. The fire raged unchecked from the centre of the building towards the Gracefield Road frontage, where the company’s offices are located. The crash of falling corrugated iron, of which the walls and roof were constructed, sent clouds of sparks more than 100 feet high. The building was soon alight from end to end. Intense heat was given off and the greater part of the factory was burned out within two hours. By 12.30 a.m. flames and smoke were pouring from the ruins of the building, plant and stock. Attacking the fire from all side, fire-fighters succeeded in saving the offices and the rear portion, which cont ained glazed wadding and the cutting department. All office equipment and records were saved. The Lower Hutt brigade was reinforced by the Petone and Hutt Park Fire Brigades. By 1 a.m. the fire was under control, though still burning fiercely. The manager of the factory, Mr. A. C. "Peters, said it was impossible to estimate destruction until he had been through the wreckage. The same factory was gutted on Christmas Eve, 1936.