SERIOUS CONFLAGRATION.—SASH AND DOOR FACTORY BURNED.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3752, 25 July 1883, Page 3

SERIOUS CONFLAGRATION.—SASH AND DOOR FACTORY BURNED.

Auckland, This day. At IJ o'clock this morning the fire-bells rang out an alarm, and it was at once seen, from the fact that the Avhole of the eastern sky Avas lit up, that a A-cry serious fire Avas raging in Mechanic's Bay, Avhich proA-cd to be the Union Sash and Door Company's factory. The building- is an immense Avoodcn pile standing on the reclaimed land abutting on the sea. There Avere no horses available to take the fire engines to the scene, and consequently the firemen had to drag the engines through the wind and rain, arriving on the scene of tho fire completely exhausted. The Salvage Corps, under Captain Field, speedily folloAved the Fire Brigade men. As soon as possible a hose Avas laid on from the pump in Stanley street and taken across that street towards the burning factory; but there were great complaints of the insufficient supply of hose OAving- to the distance, aud the consequence was that the fire crossed the roadAvay and ignited the stacked timber, Avhich was speedily in a sheet of name. Superintendent Hughes and his men did all in their poAvcr Avjtli the miserable resources at their command, and succeeded in keeping the fire Avithin tho limits of the factory and timber yards, allowing it to burn itself out Avithin these limits, this being all they could do under the circumstances. The brilliant blaze from theburningkauri pine illuminated the whole of the city. A fierce nor-easter carried an immense cloudof sparks down the railway embankment, and fears wore entertained for the safety of the company's joinery stores, where the doors, sashes, Avindow frames, and all the finer kinds of manufactured woodwork are kept, also for a kerosene bonded store a short distance off, and had that taken fire it is hard to say Avhat the consequences Avould have been. Fortunately the huge raihvay embankment acted as a screen and protection to both buildings, Avhich, being constructed of galvanised iron, Averc less subject to therisk of being set fire by the falling sparks. These, however, fell in dense masses among the houses on tho slopes of Official Bay "and

Alton road, and alarm was felt in case an outbreak should occur in consequence, but fortunately the heavy rain Avhich was falling at the time averted the danger. Owing to the direction of the wind the offices of the company were saved from tho flames, being carried north-yard, but the whole of the stabling accommodation and the residences of the carters who lived there were burned. The origin of the fire is unknown, but from the suddenness witk which it burst forth immediately after the breaking of glass as stated beloAV, the Avatchman i.s of opinion that the fire Avas not accidental.

Mr Greer, one of the watchmen employed by the company, made the following statement:—There are two nightmen employed on the premises, each one haA'ing separate divisions, with tell-tales in each section to act as a check on them. My round was in the lower division. At a quarter to 3 o'clock this morning I heard the sound of glass breaking near tho break-ing-down machinery. I Avcnt to ascertain the cause, and immediately a sheet a flame burst out. Immediately called out to Quiulan, tho other watchman, and gave the alarm, and he came and got tho hose ready and in work, while I ran and rang the bell. There Avas a gale, and the ringing could not be heard any distance Some delay arose in getting help. Holland, a painter,' of Parnell, passed the building in a cab about twenty to 3 o'clock, but saw no indications of fire. He states that aa hen thecal) got to Alton road he saw flames suddenly burst out. He immediately drove to the Wakefield fire-bell and rang it.

The following is the list of insurances on tho fire:—New Zealand company, £1000: National, £100. The South British office holds a policy of £.5000, of Avhich £3900_ is reinsured in "several offices, among Avhich aro tho Now Zealand £300, North British £")00, United £2;'>o, Victoria £2'>o, London and Lancashire £500, Union £7-30, Northern £100. The total insurancesaro£73oo, and the loss is A-ery considerably greater. A large number of workmen have been thrown out of employment

Kidd's coach-builder's shed at DoA'onport was burned last night. The contents Averc insured in the National office for £100, but the shed Avas uninsured.