SERIOUS FIRE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 7 January 1931, Page 5

SERIOUS FIRE

PINE PLANTATION DESTROYED hospital has narrow escape (By Telegraph—Prew Auoolatlon) CHRISTCHURCH. This Day. A serious fire broke out in lupins on the sand hills near Bottle Lake, and spread to the Hospital Board’s plantation. Fanned by a heavy north-west wind, the fire threatened to spread over a wide front in the pine plantations, lupins, gorse and other inflammable growth, all being now very dry, with destruction to property and some danger to parts of the seaside suburb of New Brighton. The infectious diseases hospital at Bottle Lake was early in danger,- but though branches of the fire spread almost to the walls of the buildings, the fire passed without doing any damage. The hospital staff quickly removed 23 patients to a place of safety, and preparations were made for salvaging everything movable. There are about 150 acres in the Hospital Board’s pine plantation, the trees ranging in age from 16 to 20 years. All this area was burnt out. Not far away but safe for the present, is a much larger area of 1800 acres planted in pines by the county council. The fire burned fiercely until 1 o’clock, when its progress was arrested by a belt of green elderberry growing wild among the lupins and gorse. The only damage dohe was to trees and some fencing. It is estimated that the total damage is from £B,OOO to £IO,OOO.