SKYSCRAPPR ON FIRE

Hokitika Guardian, 13 June 1927, Page 1

SKYSCRAPPR ON FIRE

XKW YORK’S GREATEST SPECTACLE. XKW YORK. April 1 I. For five hours last night millions of New Yorkers stood spellbound watching the most spectacular fire in the history of the metropolis. High up their newest skyscraper, a tower which rises above the rool .ol the new Netherlands Hotel, a £2,000.000 structure, was a blazing torch of flames which roared from the 23rd to the 38th floor, reaching aloft to GOO feet above the street level. All around the tower, inside and out, elaborate scaffolding with its many wooden lifts and platforms used in the construction burned like a tinder. A high wind hurled the flaming beams and poles far and wide. They 101 l crashing into the surrounding streets and upon neighbouring roofs of millionaires’ palaces. MILLIONAIRES’ ROOFS.

Several times rools ol some ot New York's most famous residences caught tire, but each successive blaze was promptly extinguished fiv brigades ot men equipped with buckets of water. The fire was first seen at a height ol more than 11l Oft shortly after 8 p.m. With” incredible rapidity it became a holocaust of (lames enveloping the entire tower.

Fashionable New York, which was hurrying to the theatres, with one accord forwent the pleasures of the Stage and stayed to see the most novel and thrilling spectacle over seen.

500.060 SPECTATORS.

Within a brief period crowds estimated at from 500,000 upwards had gathered in Central Park and surrounding streets. Suites in the Plaza Hotel facing the unique conflagration were engaged at fabulous prices by cinema photographers and rich sightseers. A. thousand or more policemen were mobilised to keep the mobs out of danger

Blazing like a- gigantic Roman candle the flaming tower was visible far away on Long Island. As it was uncompleted and without lilts or staiiways members of the brigade were unable to ascend it. At nine o’clock a lingo section ol sea Holding 50 it in length swayed dizzily and then fell with a frightful crash on to the buttress ten floors beneath. Twelve-foot, beams singly or in groups after that broke off in quick sucrescession. Many bouses and one hotel in 60th Street were abandoned hv their occupants as the cornices caught fire, but in each instance the flames wore quickly extinguished. CLIMB TO 37T11 FLOOR. Not until 11.30 p.m. was there subsidence in the bombardment Imm above. By that time the scaffolding was almost completely destroyed, and firemen were able to climb to the 37th floor with their hose.

The verdict pronounced on the outbreak by the Fire Chief to-day is drasic. “It is absolutely asinine.'.' he says, “to put up a 40 or 50 storey 'lie-proof building and then surround it with a. frame structure ot wood instead of steel.