IGNITED BY LIGHTNING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 228, 26 September 1928, Page 10

IGNITED BY LIGHTNING.

HOUSE AND JOINERY FACTORY

MAN TEMPORARILY BLINDED,

FLAMES SOON EXTINGUISHED.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, this dav.

An electrical storm of exceptional •everitv visited New Plymouth yesterday afternoon and last evening. It was , accompanied by heavy hail showers. Lightning struck the joinery factory of Jones and Sand ford and a private house next door, and set fire to both. The fire brigade was called out, but the flames were extinguished with chemicals. The lightning entered the factory by flaming along an iron conduit pipe carrying tlio power lines, and ignited a pot of French polish, which spread the flames in the straw packing. Twelve motors, driving individual machines, blazed like balls f't lire, and one workman was temporarily blinded. J

flic same flash struck the steel "uyropes of a wireless aerial at the house next door, smashed the guy and the aerial, and passed along a clothes-line nitil it struck the corner of the house. It tore off a board, struck the wall inside and ignited the rafters. of -55r? 100 tplp P hon M in various parts 1 °! vn vvero l„ lt ont of conimi i si and numbers of fuses were blown I hail may luive assisted.