NIGHT OF FIRES

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 253, 16 January 1928, Page 9

NIGHT OF FIRES

TWO SERIOUS OUTBREAKS WATERFRONT MILL ABLAZE LAUNCHES BADLY DAMAGED Launches, as well as industrial property, suffered damage in a fire that destroyed Casey's timber mill, Beaumont Street, at 3 o'clock this morning. For half an hour, while the fire raged vigorously, it lit up the waterfront along the western reclamation. The damage runs to five or six thousand pounds. The nightwatchman at Casey’s mill discovered the fire, which had already taken charge, at about a quarter to three. By that time the alarm had been given by a Harbour Board watchman from a street alarm-box, but when the brigade arrived the mill was beyond saving. Valuable plant, including a large band-saw, was severely damaged, and of the building itself only a skeleton now remains. FLOATING LOGS CHARRED A dozen men were employed on the plant, which supplies the same firm’s box factory, at the corner of Beaumont and Fanshawe Streets. Logs were floated to the front of the mill and raised on the skids for cutting. Thus there was a great deal of timber floating on the w-ater during the fire, and, as the tide was high, it was exposed to the fierce so that much of it was charred. On one side of Casey’s mill are the yards of Shipbuilders, Ltd., who had several vessels, including two or three scows, on their slipways. Fortunately the wind was away from this establishment, or at least one of the scows would have gone, but the contrary breeze did not save three launches, one of which was burned irreparably. This was the Hobo, owned by Mr. Jensen, of Wakefield Street. Two others, Ngaru (owned* by Mr. E. A. Carr, of Raglan) and a steam launch owned by Mr. T. Hicks, of Auckland, were charred and burned. Two dinghies, also, were burned as they floated in the water. VAGABONDS SUSPECTED The total insurance on Mr. Casey’s property was £3,500, with the Ocean Insurance Company. The plant had not been operating since mid-day on Saturday, and the origin of the fire remains a mystery, though it is suspected that waterfront vagabonds, camping in the sawdust under the mill, may have had something to do with it. While the fire was raging another outbreak occurred at the Auckland Bowling Club’s pavilion in Grafton Road. Both fires were spectacular, and the double glare, seen from a distance, suggested that half the city was alight.