ANOTHER CONFLAGRATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2108, 27 March 1920, Page 3

ANOTHER CONFLAGRATION.

RACING CLUB’S OFFICE DE- , * STROVED. “HERALD” OFFICE'S- NARROW ESCAPE. SPLENDID WORK BY THE BRIGADE. Eoxton's unenviable record of mysterious and unaccountable outbreaks of fire was increased by fine on Friday morning, when the office of the Eoxtori Racing -Club was totally destroyed by fire. The outbreak was first discovered by Mr J. Wyeth, night watchman, at the New Zealand Shipping Company's buildings, who noticed a glare and hurried to th(‘ firehell iu order to give (lie alarm. On passing the Racing Club building he saw that even then (he fire had a fairly good hold. On arrival at the (irehell, he was unable to find (he hell rope, and as several of the steps at the lower end of (he hell tower wen' missing he was unable lo climb up and ring out (lie alarm. . Mr Wyeth considered the next best method of giving residents notification of the outbreak was lo get the engine cleaner at the railway station to blow the engine whistle, and ran down to the engine with this purpose in view. Simultaneously with his arrival there the cleaner, Mr 4. Krivens, saw (he glare of tire, and gave several long blasts on the engine whistle. This served the purpose, several member.', of the recently-formed lire brigade beingthen apprised of the outbreak, and a rush was made to gel the engine to the scene of the conllagration. The jirehell was rung by Mr -I. Colder. When the tin' engine and some members of tin* brigade arrived on the scene (In* Racing Club olllcc was ,-i mass of lire, am! the llnmes had spread to llie “Maimwain Herald" office, and were licking ngiii up (he walk To had; ai ihc small [irelighting- appliance that wa.-, availaide, and the hold that the Haines had then obtained, il seemed almost an impossibility to .-'live the “Herald” Offices. However, the brigade men worked with a. will, ami played the hose on to (he (lames, 'i hey were assisted by a number ol citizens, with buckets, and the milled efforts wore eventually successful in exlinguishing the lire on Ihc walls of the building, and saving same from deslruclion. Foriiinalcly ihc weather conditions were (avmira.ldc, there not being a brealb o! wind, otherwise (he building could nol have been saved. Orcal credii idue lo Ihc fire brigade number' lor I lie good work done, am! there is no doubt Friday morning's wn-k has tally just ified I lie formal ion <T Ihe brigade. It is unquestionable that Ihe engine is nol large enough to cope with a fire of any magnitude, and it is lo he hoped that effort■> will be made to proeure a. larger mae bine. The origin of llm lire is a' mystery. Mr Wanklyn was in l!m office up till about If o’clock on the nigei before the outbreak, and when he left, everything appeared to be sate Several local resident-' passed the building about midnighi. and noticed nothing out of the way. and Mr W. O'Brien also passed along on Ins way to work about 20 minutes before the alarm was given, and everything was then n I rigid a> far as he noticed. The Racing Club office was bnlil Iwouty years ago by Mr >l, Ahern. A meeting of stewards of the Club is to 1)0 held on Tuesday evening next to consider the question of !im re-erection of offices. The building was insured for £75 in the Slate Office. 'The police are making enquiries into the origin outbreak, Inspector McKinnon, accompanied by Sergeant Fitzpatrick, arriving m Fox ton yesterday afternoon. Sergeant •Fitzpatrick is still m the town continuing the investigation.