THREE TIMBER YARDS ABLAZE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 36, 6 November 1918, Page 6

THREE TIMBER YARDS ABLAZE

SPECTACULAR CONFLAGRATION IN MID-CITY FIRE FANNED-BY A HOWLING GALE JESSIE STREET SAVED BY A MIRACLE Wellington people, will remember the fifth of November, 1918. for uianv years to come, as it was marked by one pi the biggest open conflaKrations seen'm this city since the great lire on Lambton Quay of a decade ngo. Tho hre occurred about that block of timber, yards and factories in Taranaki Street immediately at the rear of the building best known as that of the Prouse Lumber, Ltd.. but now occupied by several firms (opposite the Wellington Automatic Bakeries), and it extended from the southern halt of the Miller Hardwood Compauy's yard to the back premises of tho lons line of wooden houses that Hank the south side of Jesdo Street, roughly an acre of land. The damage, which ruus into many thousands of pounds,.affected tho following firms:— Miller Hardwood Co. Wellington Cooperage and Box Co. C. Slyman. The lire is believed to navo broken out in the two-story corrugated iron workshop or factory of the Wellinaton Cooperage and Box Company which adjoins the Hardwood Company's iron factory. Both of these- buildings stand in the midst of Irish, stacks of timber, about 100 ft. back from Tnranaki Street. The flre broke out about 8.15 p.m., and by the time the bmade sot to work the whole of the factory and some of the adjoining stacks of white- pine timber were blazing fiercely. Fanned by a northerly gale the flames, shooting great tongues and billows" of flame 70ft. and Bfift. into the air, appeared to be irresistible in their hunger, and there was fuel in plenty for them to lick up almost unchecked. Such was the sight, as early as 8.30 p.m:,'that the four or five leads playing, on the flames from the windward side of the inferno, appeared to be utterly inadequate to even check the course of tho. conflagration. Whilst the brigade was employed in chocking the blaze in the factory of the Wellington Cooperate and Box Factory and tho workshop of the Hardwood Company, at once realised as doomed, immense aheet3 of flame were thrown against big stacks of dry white pine timber , neatly stacked with battens between each layer of boards. From a distance of perhaps fifty yards within the yards one could see the flames start on a stack, and ten minutes later that stack would be a vast fabric of leaping flame, neatly patterned below by the lay of the boards, and high above enormous pennons of flames whipped this way and that at the bidding of the gale. Although the brigadesmen fought with commendable energy, there was no getting in the path of the fire's progress without being fairly roasted. Very quickly the fire, uridor the forced draught of the gale, fired the 30ft. stacks, and burning these barriers away attacked the big two-story brick factory of the 'Cooperage and Box Company, which runs east and west near the back promisee. of the Jessie Street honses.

The Crucial Point, . At 9 p.m. few would have given a shilling for tho chances of Jessie Street, and it looked as though Te Aro ilat southwards-was going to be cleaned out by the flames. The brick factory' which was soon ablaze, appeared to oiior but slight resistance to tho outreaching flames, and within its feeble walls was a veritable inferno of flames. Tho heat to leeward was terrific, tho air was starred with myriads of huge sparke, which rained on the buildings near and fur, and the great clouds of denso smoke which filled the apparently doomed streot .made a scene akin to some of Dante's pictures of the nether world.

In Jessie Street, In this street of misfortune'the sceno was indescribably sad. When the flames had mastered the brick structure, the vortical and horizontal stack of dry timber between the building and the back premises' of the houses caught alight, and the flames roared upwards and southward still unsatisfied. The polico and tho military who were on the spot ordered the people to .quit their houses, and, the danger, becomiiig apparent to all, the unfortunate people began to strip their houses' of furniture. Hundreds helped in this work, trundling out Dianos, sideboards, sofas, pictures, carpets, bedding and beds, aud tho hundred and one things that go to make ui> a home. Women wailed and tailored about halldazed with babies in 'their arms, not knowing where to go or what to do. The household goods of twenty or fairly dwellings wore stacked up at the western end of Jessio Street, the men in khaki doing yeoman eervico in this connection. It was a higgledy-piggledy collection of goods that littered the mnddv streets, but eventually the houses' were all skinned thoroughly, and their owners breathed a little easier. One man even got his gas stove out on to the street. A. poor girl, half-fainting, was seen swaying along with half a dozen fancy cups and saucers in her hands. Babies and children cried and moaned in'tho murky air, and beat off the sparks as they rushed down from the lurid pall above. Some of the women were.advised to make for the Salvation Army's nostel. and they did so, and were verp kindly received. Salvation lassies were seen helping to carry out goods from tho houses and soothing the horror away from the children's eyes..

Saved by a Miracle. Whilst this sceno was being enuoted in Jessio Street, the flames continued with unabated violence their assault on the slacks of timber between the brick factory and tho back yards. Should those stocks «o no power on earth could safe tho houses, and it was at that ■point that Superintendent Tait centred 'hia men. One of the gamest fights over put,up in the annal6 of local fire* ensued immediately at tho rear of Nos. 7, 9, and 11 in Jessio Streot. In those, cases the timber was actually stacked against tho fences, and in eomo cases touched tho outhouses and scullery extensions. From the roofs of these places the firemen with half a dozen strong leads gave battle against odds that seemed overwhelmingly against them. Grim blackened figures stood outlined against a wall of pure flame in tho roasting Jieat, and poured torrents of water over fho Mazing stacks of timber and into the trenches of fire beyond. For 'an hour the issue was in doubt, but by 10.15 p..m. it was evident Hint tho ftromen wero gaining the mnstery. They were able to do this by one reason only—the resistance given to the main mass of flames in the blazing timber yard 'boyond by the two walls of the brick factory. This barrier, although a pyre in itsolf, had tho effect of deflecting the lateral sweep of the flames, and so gave the firemen a slight chance- to hold the ii-ushing fire. And hold it they did, whilrt very slowly the firo burnt itself out on tho other side of the box factory. Tho brigade, terribly short-handed for such ft big task, ■-eadily accopted the assistance of outsiders, and the i voluntary men did notably fine work. One giant of n man, who stood the test with ono lead behind No. 9, was led out a grim, blackened figure, his face quite black with smoke, hi." eyes red. and. muttering a request for relief to be sent to the men, sank likp a sack on to the footpath. He was half-smothered with smoke, which had to bo pumped out of him by impromptu mnsf=a?;c on the pavement, no soon recovered, and went back onco moro to resmuo the fight. A Hospital Caso. Another voluntary worker named Heavy, a motor-driver, who resides at 70 Abei Smith Street, did not: fare so well. He was on the stack at the buck of Nc. 11 Jessie Street, with hose going when a tongue of (lame licked his throat, Mid he fell forward.. He was carried out and off to tl» Hospital, where he was admitted at 10.30 p.m. The fire, although now in hand, looked ugly and dangerous, and for hours jater the hoses were kept going on tho sizzling timbers alongsidj the houses. At midnight tho timber yards were

etill blazing violently and sending up clouds of sparks, but all immediate danger of a further spread seemed at an end, savo the risk occasioned by the hurtling sparks. Some of the people wont back to their houses to spend a miserable night in great discomfort, others sought lodgings elsewhere from less inconvenienced neighbours and, friends. j A Distress Fund. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) was on the scene, and was a spectator of the gallant fight put up in Jessie Street by the firemen. Seeing the plight of the people ho ordered the Town Hall to be thrown open as a means of sjjelter to the -flistrossod people. As doubtless . a great deal of loss will have been incurred in breakage (many of the people threw their goods pell-mell out of tho windows), Mr. Luke deemed it his duty to open a Fire Distress Fund, and informed a Dominion reporter that he would head it with a subscription of JE3 3-, All who feel disposed jo help tho lufferora 6hould send in their donations to the Town Clerk without delay. Heavy Loss Sustained. The. firms concerned in the fire will practically register a total loss. In the ca.se of the Miller Hardwood Company ki" stocks of Oregon, Californian redwood and some New Zealand timber has been turned, to ashes, whilst the factory, which had morticing and planing machines, has been levelled to the Ground. The company's light stock of hardwood was stacked to windward of the flre area, and fio escaped destruction. The Cooperage and Box Company are very heavy Joser*. Almost the whole of their stock of timber, together with two large factories, full of up-to-date boxmnking machinery, has gone up emoke and several stacks of valuable building timber, and a big Toofed-in rack well stocked with mouldings,, the property of Mr. C. Slyman (who occupies part of tho yard behind the Prouse Lumber, Ltd.'e building) have been re. duced to smouldering ashes. The fire was still burning when we went to press. No insurances wore available lost night.