FIRE AT THE WOOLLEN FACTORY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1750, 26 January 1888, Page 2

FIRE AT THE WOOLLEN FACTORY

About half-past three o'olook yesterday afternoon the firs-bells rang out an alarm, and the continuous sounding of the whistle at the Ashburton Woollen Faotory gave an intimation of the looality of the fire. The Brigades turned out promptly, the Western arriving first on the scene, and a large number of people followed m 'heir wake. It was Boon Been that the fire was at the factory, a small building at the rear being wrapped m flames. The building, whioh was constructed of galvanised iron, was about 24 feet by 12 feet. It was divided into two dompartments, one of whioh was used for storing yarn and the other for waste. The fire originated m tho oompar^ment where the waste was kept, end is thought to have been the result of spon* | taneous combustion ; the building was kept I looked, and the fire cannot be jacoounted for m any other way. Borne of the hands at the mill saw flames issuing from the building and gave the alarm. A messenger was sent into town for assistance, and the other hands set to work removing suoh things as they could, and preventing the main building, only a few yards distant, from catching fire, by the application of .wet sacks to the' expoaad woodwork. A strong nor'-wester, whioh blew the flames and sparks m the direction of the faotory, rendered this pre« oaation most neoessary. As it was, the fire got a slight hold of a small building attached to the mill, but it was promptly pot out by the firemen, who were then on the ground. It was several times thought that the faotory itself had caught m real earnest, beoanaa of •he smoke whioh issued from under the iron roofing, bat this smoke, it appeared, had been driven into the building by th« -mod, and made its way oat on the lee Bide. Some of the firemen got on to the roof, bat fortunately there was no danger, and their services were not required. The steady stream of water turned on to the smouldering ruins of the waste-house soon began to tell, and all danger from this source was therefore over. The long dry grass m a young plantation adjoining oaught fire, and a clean sweep was made of the ground from the terraoe to the road. When all danger to the mill was past, one of tha brigades turned their attention to this, and prevented further damage being done to the fences, eto. There were several bins of yarn m the building destroyed. The damage is within £100. There was no insurance, It is fortunate there was plenty of water available, or it is hard to say what the oonsequences might have been.