COMPLETE BURN OUT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1782, 21 June 1913, Page 6

COMPLETE BURN OUT.

OF CHEMICAL WORKS. 1 FIRE LOSS REACHES THOUSANDS. TALLOW WORKS CATCH. (By Telograjh.—Prora Aisoolatlon.l Auckland, June 20. The chemical works of Messrs. Kempthorne Prosser and Co., situated near the railway lino at Westfield, eight miles from Auckland, were destroyed by firo between 1.30 and daylight this morning. Tho works were the largest, and practically the only ones, of tho kind in New Zenr land. Although no official estimate of the damage is yet available, it will certainly run into many thousands of pounds. Tho only section of the'works which was still standing at midday was the brick area comprising about a third of tho buildings as they stood before tho fire occurred. Even the brick area was still seriously threatened.

About three years ago tho company spent several thousands of pounds in adding to the buildings and works, tho brick portion being one of the recent additions. The insurances on the buildings, stock, and fittings total ,£15,300, but these do not approach the full values of the works and their contents. An area of about two acres was covered by tho buildings, which were mostly of one 6tory, but certain portions, containing the acid chambers, were of a higher elevation.

The outbreak was discovered by the workmen in the vicinity of the sulphur chamber, and a oouple of hundred people were quickly on the scene, doing everything possible, but the water supply failed, and little could be done. The volume of flame was at its greatest height between 2 a.m. and' 3 a.m. Very soon after the fire took a thorough hold of the wooden building, the roofs fell in with a succession of crashes, and the sound of falling- beams, machinery, etc., came frequently , from within. Several railway trucks, which were standing on the siding immediately in front of the main building, caught fire, and, as they were loaded with manures, etc., it 'Was realised that the inevitable damage to than would materially add to the loss occasioned by the fire. Little, however, could bo done to extinguish them.

Another alarming development was an extension of the fire to the tallow vats of Hellabys, Ltd., which- stood on an elevation at the side of this firm's brick building immediately adjoining tho manure works. .Very soon the vat structures gave way, and a big volume of hot liquid (fallow paired forth/. Tho tallow inundated tho immediate vicinity, and trickled freely down tlie railway lines towards Westfield Station, which is just opposite the site of the doomed works.' Men were engaged during the forenoon in scooping up the lost tallow, which, by that time, had_ cooled into cakes setting between the rails. The burning railway trucks are being kept under hoses, and it is expected that not more than four or five of them, together with their contents, will be destroyed. It is understood that Hellalys, Ltd., will sustain a loss of about .£IOOO, as a result of their burned vats and lost tallow. Fortunately their main buildings escaped damage. The insurance on tho buildings, stock', and fittings totals this risk being allocated amongst nine insurance offices, as 'follows:—Union Assurance Society, <£1000; Ocean Insurance Company, ,£1000; Commercial Union, ,£2500; National Insurance tfcmpany, .£500; South British Insurance Company, .£2000; Standard Insurance Company, ,£750; Lloyds' Com-, pany, .£3800; Now Zealand Insurance Company, ,£1500; and Northern Assur,ance Co., ,£2250.