FIREMEN COLLAPSE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 31, 20 February 1937, Page 5

FIREMEN COLLAPSE

Press. Assoeiatioft.)

Overcome by Smoke at Blaze in Wellington HOPE GIBBONS BLOCR

(By Teleyraph--

WELLINGTON, This Day. Cauaed by a heavy electric pressing iron iri the workroom of Leo Blake and Co., clothing manufacturers, being left On dense smoke issued from the Hope Gibboms buildings in Dixon street shortly after 11 p.m. last night and a section of building narrowly escapecL being gutted. Six engines were rushed tO the Scene and the firemen had great difficulty in ventillating the building to let oUt th# heat. Fireman H. Tobin was overComC before he could don a respirator and was taken to hospital. Nearly an hour later Foreman J. McKenzie collapsed when carrying out salvage Operations and was also taken to hospital. The fire burnt through into the Hope GibbonS bulk atore on the ground floor and above into F. Lee and Co.'s Wbrkshop. Parts of bicycles and r&dio sets W6re Btored on the ground floor, but iittle damage is reported thCrC, thi stock being covered With tarpauliflS. While the fire was being fought, th(j Goverament placement offices, on the first floor, were filled with smoko and the flies were badly marked. On the second floor a number of shelves Were bnrnt in a corner but the damage wai confined to these and several bolts of cloth, Which wefe sifiged. The damage done was mOstly by smoke and water. It is understood that the building and contents were fully insttred.