FIRE IN DYE WORKS

Evening Star, Issue 19660, 13 September 1927, Page 5

FIRE IN DYE WORKS

BRIGADE'S SPLENDID SAVE How big fires have their origin in small ways was shown at considerable, cost in the City Dye Works, 137 Princes street, last evening. The removal of the heating switches of the iron from the sockets is just as commonplace a thing as putting on his coat to go home with the foreman, and at 5.35 p.m. ho left the building. There were then no signs of fire. The heavy pressing iron was on the iron plate on the board underneath the plate, though the lluJf from many suits had collected, and as the iron stand had dropped through the charred wood the fluff had become carbonised. It must have been smouldering when the workmen left last evening, for the City Fire Brigade was called out about three hours later, the fire had spread over the finishing room. Such was the thebry advanced as to the origin of the fire, and it was accepted by the inspecting electricians and insurance investigators. Last night it was thought that the pressing iron had been loft connected, but later inspections showed that that was not so.

The brigade made a splendid save. Tho fire was confined to the second floor, wdicro the finishing and fancy rooms were situated. Below -were tho valuable machinery rooms and the dyes and highly explosive and inflammable liquids. Three leads of hose were brought along the right-of-way from King street, and the brigade soon bad the fire well under control. A portion of the finishing room w : as badly damaged, and the fancy garment room was gutted. In the finishing room at least fifty or sixty suits sent in for cleaning were destroyed, and 400yds of "alnablo repp material wore mined, fn tho fancy room the damage was heavy. There over forty dresses and ■'ustumes, of an average value of £5, •me alone being valued at £ls, were completely destroyed. Fortunately, a large consignment of material for dying had been despatched to Invercargill, Gore, Christchurch, and New Plymouth an Fridnv.

Tlio floor of tlio finishing room was charred, but it was not broken enough to allow the embers to drop down to the machine room. If the fire had ■prcacl to this part of the building a •erious loss would have been sustained. The machinery room is installed_ with perhaps the only steam extinguishing dant in New Zealand, and it’ the fire bad had a hold there the brigade could have held it under control by opening i valve. At tho time of the fire the boiler had a pressure of 601 b, and the steam would have been released into the room.

tu tho machinery room a few bottles of other and chloroform were untouched, while tho big cistern of highly inflammable mixture of petrol, ammonia, and chloroform was too well sealed to allow of an escape of fumes. Under tlio concrete floor a great quantity of dangerous chemicals were held in storage tanks. If the fire had spread to this part of the building a disastrous explosion and fire would have taken place, and the adjoining premises would also have been involved in the destruction.

None of tho machinery was destroyed. Mr H. Halliday, who owns tho building and works, stated this morning that tho goods left by customers were amply covered by insurance. The damage is estimated’at £1,500, the whole of tho insurance for approximately £5,000 being held by the Insurance Office of Australia. Mr Halliday said that the structural damage was not extensive.

Tho City Dyo Works is carrying on business as usual, as none of the machinery was damaged. They have transferred tho finishing department to another part of the factory. Customers arc advised to get in touch immediately, so as to adjust the claims on goods damaged by fire.—[Advt.]