FACTORY SWEPT BY FIRE.

Taihape Daily Times, 7 February 1919, Page 6

FACTORY SWEPT BY FIRE.

o BLAZE IN MELBOURNE. The factory of Headley's Chocolates Ltd., cocoa and chocolate manufacturers and confectioners, situated on St. Hilda Road, Melbourne,was destroyed by fire aarly on January 1/. The factory, which was known as Barrackvillc, from the form of the building, was a landmark in Melbourne. The brigade was summoned but before a full force cauld arrive the whole buildingwas in flames, and within a quarter of an hour the largo building was a crumbling ruin. Little could be done but watch its swift destruction. The falling of the donte 'was an aWo- : mspirvng sight. Luckily it fell inward, but a few seconds later a large section of the front wall collapsed into the street, to the imminent danger of the firemen and largo crowd which had gathered. When the northern wall fell the flames swept to the southern end, but were chocked by a fireproof wall When the western wall foil it wrecked a small cottage, but the inmates' had already vacated it.

An outstanding feature of the fire was its • amazing suddenness. The watchman was scrubbing a fairway 'shortly before the five was noticed by watchman at the fire station, and had a remarkable escape, being almost overwhelmed by flame and smoke. Evontualy the roof at Flood’s caught alight, and though the po ice removed ’as many cars as posiblc ton took fire. The 600 gallons of pptrol in the basement and 500 tons of benzine in the military stores opposite were saved.

A fire brigade car ignited and was badly burned. The ruined factory was on the opposite side of Coventry stret to the Victoria barracks, and all ranks at the Domain Camp on the opposite side of St. Kilda Eoad were employed in guarding the

Ordnance Stor.es land records. A few items of stores were saved, and only a few outside walls of various buildings were scorched. The insurance on the factory nas £48,500, in the Royal Company. The damage is estimated at £50,000. Between 500 land 600 persons are thrown out of employment.