COPRA STORE BURNED

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 75, 21 December 1937, Page 3

COPRA STORE BURNED

Disastrous Apia Fire

DAMAGE ABOUT £20,000 APIA, Dec. 3. A disaamouo fire occurred during the early hours of Tuesday morning, when the huge copra store of Burns, Philp (S.S.), Company, Limited, was completely destroyed. The building, which covered nearly an acro of ground, wa's situated at the intersection of Beach street and SavaI lolo road, and contained over 1000 tons j of bagged copra, plant, etc., valued at j about £20,000. A few minutes after j the discovery-of the outbreak the whole building was a mass of fiames, which shot into the air 50 to 60 feet high. There was no chance of fighting the fire with the puny appliances available, and work was coneentratcd on saving the buildings across the street and Savalolo Sisters Convent at the back, aiso Mr. Langton 's store, which was separated by a vacant allotment on the east side. Fortunately there was no wind and the fire was confined to the copra store. The police, under the direction of In3pector Braisby, worked hard and it was mainly owing to their efforts that the adjacent property was saved. The copra is still burning and it will be some days before the fire dies out, Ihe cause of the outbreak is unknown. The building and contents were partly covered by insurance. The steamel Antigne arrived on Wednesday morning to lift the copra.