PUBLIC TRIAL OF THE HARDEN "TAR" FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 109, 4 July 1885, Page 7

PUBLIC TRIAL OF THE HARDEN "TAR" FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

Ok Wednesday afternoon last Mr Owen (m representing Messrs Morrin and Co.), gave a public exhibition of the wonderful properties of " The Harden •« Star" Hand Grenade Fire Extinguisher," at Te Aroha. The event having been made public by posters and otherwise*, quite a crowd of spectators apsembled on the occasion. The place selected was a vacant plot of ground at the rear of Mr D J. I 'razor's. A chimsic.y constructed of wt 11- seasoned boards, some 10ft high by Sit x 2ft, one side open, was first experimented on, a quantity of kerosiue being thrown over the inside, aud a pile of shavings and broken wood placed at the bottom soaking in kerosine. When the match was applied, in a moment of two the whole was a mass of flame aud burned fiercely, but :iot long, for a grena-le being broken at the bot torn of ti»«j chimney the gas therefiom acted instantaneously by smot jering the flamed, an 1 on a second one beiu.? broken the fire was almost completely put out, and only slightly smouldered at the bottom fur a little time. Tae article used for the second experiment was a wooden Bhn.it about a foot square and 12ft high, ali».» constructed of seasoned boards ; tais was literally soaking with kerosine, Miid when set fire to the flames extended fill or 7ft above the top of the shoot. lv this second trial the result was aijain Mtfhly satis factory, oidy one grenade lieiug broken, and the gas generated completely subdued the flames hi a very few seconds. One remarkable feature in connection with this tire extinguisher is that wherever the liquid came in contact with the boards it formed a sort of coat, or silica, through which the fire wold not penetrate, even when frosh Icerosinfe was thrown upon them. A.ltogelher the trial was a complete success, demonstrating beyond doubt the immense value of these grenades. We may state that when used in suppressing actual outbreaks of fire, the effects are «TiD *nore astonishing, as the greater the heat) and the less the exposure and admixture with outer air, the more quickly and powerfully the gas subdues the flames. We do not wonder at the enormous sales which have been effected since the grenades Were introduced into New Zealand, as they ought to be m every house and place of business. They are dimple to ase ia the extreme, and can be brought into nse in a moment in the event of a fire breaking out. [Since writing the above we observe that the grenades have been the means of saving a valuable block of buildings in London. The following is the notice we refer to; — "A National Calamity Averted : Amongst our (Morrin and Co.) advices from home jnst received, we have information that there had been * fire at the International Inventions Exhibition Buildings, London, on the day before the opening day, and that it had been extinguished by the timely use of the Harden "Star" Hand Grenades."