DISASTROUS FIRE IN NAPIER

Chronicle (Levin), 6 November 1946, Page 5

DISASTROUS FIRE IN NAPIER

— Press Association

H0SP1TAL LAUNDRY BESTROYED AND STORES BUILD1NG GUTTED

By Telegraph-

NAPIER, Nov. 6. Damage estimated at £70,000 occurred when the most disastrous lire in the history of the Hawke's Bay Hospital Board broke out shortly before midnight last night, completely destroying the entire laundry block and gutting the major portion of the double-storeyed building housing the hospital's bulk supply of essential stores.

Within a few seconds of the alarm being given the entire launary block ourst into a roaring inlciiio, tne naiues ueatmg m\t ieet m tne air and showers of sparks cascading on to the roofs of nearDy wards. It was not before three o cIock that the threat to the main portion of the hospital was removed. " t ' The hospital is situated on the summit of Bluff Hill and the wind roaring in i'rom the south fanned the burning portion into a biazing inferno visible from Hastings, 13 miles distant. So suddenly did the fiames belch up, that live male porters accommodated in the base- | ment under the laundry were j l'orced to beat a hasty exit under a j shower of glass from the smashing : windows above. Twice the fiames licked against the double-storeyed Midgley Ward from the actual seat of the fire, but volunteers and firemen kept the fiames at bay. Meanwhile, valuable documents, furniture and other effects were removed from the danger points. Billowing smoke surged through the hospital corridors and wards, but due to the solendid behaviour of the nursing staffs no panic was evident amongst the patients. After sweeping through the laundry block, causing damage to machinefy estimated- at £20,000, and wiping out .the building The fire 1 uenetrated the Xstbraae / block ! housing the board's bulk -sunh'fy of ' iinen, surgical appliahces, grodefies

j and hardware. It is possible that a large portion of the iinen will bt I sa.vcw, uut iL has been dama«'ed b.\ smoke and water. j The full extent of the loss wil. I not be ascertainable until later toi day. ! Several times the hre broke out j with renfeWe'd feroci'ty, but througr the gobd eftorts'rbf the combinea ! brigades in the district the liamet. j were orought under control thret I hours after the outbreak, and thv threat to the main hospital wards ' was finally removed. [ The laundry and a portion of the i storage block is nothing more thai. j ... 1 1 o c i j oi giowing ernbers and rea > hot metal. As part of the wartime emergencj precautions, the board constructea an underground reservoir capablc of holding 600,000 gallons of watei to meet an emergency similar tt. that experienced last night. It was this reservoir which was th'e main factor in giving the fire brigades an opportunity to stem the main blazt beiore the fire reaehed the main centre of the hospital. Preparations had been made to evacuate ali the patients in the hospital to £ nearby school had the fire spread The most serious asnect of the fire today is the loss of valuable laundry machinery. It is stated that there is no more similai machinery . in the- ' DominiOm and . it ; wili . taho- atAfeakt mx- .rnonths tc inheht -rbpiabbhiehts tfom fihgiand. The loss1 of -fih%h may. also' prove fc serious factor. •' 1