ENGINE SHED DESTROYED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 741, 14 August 1929, Page 1

ENGINE SHED DESTROYED

FIRE AT WAIOTIRA LOCOMOTIVE DAMAGED The engine shed at Waiotira. Junction was completely destroyed by fire last night. Efforts were made to remove a W.B. engine which was housed in the shed, but it was impossible to do this, as the structure was like a furnace a few minutes after the outbreak was discovered. The loss on the shed is said to be between £3OO and £4OO and the locomotive has been damaged to the extent. of £IOO. But for the efforts of a bucket brigade, headed by the stationmaster, Mr. J. R. Cameron, a. huge stack of timber and the two large Water-tanks would have caught fire. The outbreak, which appears to have started in the roof of the shed, was first noticed by a farmer, Mr. F. Jones, who gave the alarm. At about the same time Mr. Cameron heard the noise of crackling timber and made an investigation. Twenty minutes later the whole shed was a blazing furnace with the locomotive inside. There was very little water available and the handful of onlookers could do nothing until the flames had died down. Then they worked energetically in preventing the fire from spreading to the timber and water-tanks. The origin of the fire is a mystery as the men from the locomotive had been off duty for some hours. ,