A FIRE

Hokitika Guardian, 21 December 1932, Page 4

A FIRE

STRATFORD AND BLAIR’S MILL. ... • 4 /.IV-f/T GREYMOUTH,.Deceniber,2I. Shortly before 2" o’clock this morning indications becafne visible'ht; .-a distance that thb sAwmill 'of. Messrs Stratford, Blair and (1)6. $ in/GrfesAbn Street, opposite the Railway Depajtment's uTiarf sheds, Was oil fire. Upon an alarm being- phoned, to the station', the /Dennis engine' waJ’.sdan en the scene,, but the’ fhe.liadytlien obtained, a strong hold of the planing m il section of the property, although, the'odiep.; portion reiiiaiih*.d’, unpMUcilcU. The chances; of -making much of y . a save had gone, but tlie brigade concentrated, efforts dn saving the. qffi.ee portion as Well as extinguishing' .the flames. The mill; bechme-entirely enveloped, and dense volumes.- of smoke were intermittently illuminated -..by bursts of flame) After about.a quarter of an hour the spread of the fire lujd been stopped, but tile mill had by that time been extensively damaged, and tlie contents ruined; ) '- The water pressure became slack after an hour, whtui the roof of- the mill fell in. The plant, stock ■>’ arid building were all covered by 1 inßurance. -#' v , ’ • An examination later showed tffat the planing mill had been v completely gutted. The outbreak began in the south-east corner of the mill upstair*, thence igniting filleted timber round which there were drying pipes, Th# building was 80ft by’3sft in aisle, anti nothing in it gdved, The wind wag in a d-rq tion to parent the fix* spreading, The brigade ’ wag hampered through the hold the ’fire obtained. The timber continued burning for ’ft long time, the brigade playing two leads on it, but. without saving much, although gradually stepping the- firf, The timber stacked outside the' mill escaped, a s the flames were confined within the building. . ’ ' The timber lost included 10,003 feet of dried white * pine/ of .whiClif 4000 feet was for * the manufacture ot butter boxes for the local dairy factories. There was also 4000 .feet' ;pf timber seasoned for door making! „>*. It is thought-that . some , off .the machinery ■ may not have - been destroyed'. - ' ...'; ,t