FIRE AT THE GASWORKS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 164, 20 October 1910, Page 8

FIRE AT THE GASWORKS

Just before 10 o'clock last night an alarm of fire was, sounded from the Central Fire Station. For some time before that there had been a sulphurous smell in the centre of the town, causing considerable uneasiness to some people. The blaze was soon located at the gasworks, where the interior of the enginehouse was a mass of flame. In about a, quarter of an hour the Fire Brigade had the fire under control. The company's own fire hose proved very useful in the work of extinguishing the flames, although it would have been altogether too small by itself The fire was confined to the building in which it started. A big crowd quickly gathered, and there was a fear amongst many that there, would be an explosion of the gasholders. This, the manager subsequently informed a reporter, was an impossibility.

The stoppage of the engine was the primary cause of the fire. It stopped first at about 9 o'clock, but the manager and the man on duty got it into working order after about fifteen minutes* work: Mr. Arthur then left the works, and the other man, as instructed, went to the bath-room, for he was soon to be relieved by the new shift. Whilst in the bath he heard the engine stop again, and he jumped into his clothes and rushed round to the engine-house to shut off the gas. He was too late. The interior was already a mass of flame, and the blaze soon licked up some tins •of oil and a quantity of waste. He sent for assistance, and a messenger was hurried off to give the alarm. Meanwhile the company's hose was rigged up, and efforts were directed to checking the spread of the flames. The woodwork of the building, Whose roof and walls were of iron, was gutted, but the engine was not seriously injured.