ANOTHER FIRE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 791, 14 April 1910, Page 6

ANOTHER FIRE.

■ ■~,.,.. 9 —r AT PALMERSTON NORTH. SASH AND DOOR FACTORY BURNED, • INCENDIAIiISM SUSPECTED. : (By Teleerinh.—Snecial OorreßDondem.' Palmerston North, April 13. A little after four o'clock this mominj the fire bell once again, aroused tin puople of Palmerston from their slum bers, and it was found that the building! of the Palmerston 'North Sash and Dooi Factory were in flames.' The fire brigade was aware that a fire was raging somewhere, but from' the Square it co'ulc not bo seen where .it was, and ,'it was ten minutes or a quarter of an koui before they got definite news. This was a telephone . message from the brigadesmen' stationed at the hospital. '. When they arrived"on the scene it was found that nothing ■ could be 'saved, so far as the main, building was concerned, especiilly as the: water, pressure was .very. slight, very long lengths oi hose having' to be run. out. The brigade therefore devoted their attention to saving the surrounding timber and sheds, which they succeeded •in doing. Fortunately the wind was favourable. The nightwatchman at the. mill (Mr. W. ■ Stretton, .sen.) asserts -. that he was only away a few minutes looking over the buildings, and when he returned the mill was ablaze in all four corners, indicating that it w;as a. determined act of incendhrism. The mill has been in existence about 36 years. It was built on a sawdust heap, and it is expected that it will continue to burn for some time. The building, plant, and joinery were insured in the Commercial Ui-ion fo'i .£2500, and the timber in loth yards foi .£4OOO in the Phoenix ofuce. but onlj about .£IOO of damage was done to the timber. . The Press Association account states that the fire had a great hold and was bursting out from all parts of the building when discovered, and the, roof was commencing to fall in when the brigade arrived on the scene. Everything in the factory, including a large plant of up-to-dato machinery and a big stock of sashes, doors, and. dressed timber, was completely destroyed. The glazing-rooms, containing a heavy stock of glass in a detached building, were saved." Those on the scene early declare that the fire broko out in three places at once. There aro evidences of a man having slept in the stable adjacent to the. destroyed building.. The factory was one of Palmerston's historical buildings. It was erected as a sawmill thirty-five years ago. 'Seventeen years ago it was converted into a sash and door factory, and four years since it was enlarged and brought up -to date with new machinery. ANOTHER OUTBREAK. SEVENTH WITHIN A WEEK. (By Teleeraph—Press Association.) Palmerston North, April 13. At five o'clock this evening /the firebell again rang out an alarm, a shed at the rear of Messrs. Sollitt Bros.' timberyards and sash and door factory being on lire. The.brigade was quickly, on the spot, and soon extinguished the blaze. Incendiarism is suspected. East Street is the locality of the Quirke tragedy. This makes tho seventh outbreak within about a week. Our Palmerston North correspondent writes:—Messrs. Millar and Georgi, whose clothing establishment was - burnt last week,- have donated £l> to the funds of the fire brigado, in appreciation of their good work. -■;.-- .