A SENSATIONAL FIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 258, 22 March 1913, Page 4

A SENSATIONAL FIRE.

AT WANGANUI. SOAP WORKS DESTROYED. Per Press Association.Wangamii, Last Night. Gilbert! and Sons' soap works, with one of tlie most up-to-date plants in New Zealand, and employing 1!) hands, was destroyed by fire last night From a spectator's point of view, the sight was a magnilicient oni 1 . When the fire was at its height, there was a tremendous explosion, of what is supposed to have been drums of perfume. To those at a long distance, the whole heavens seemed to be lit up, while tills of fat, soap and debris were scattered in al! directions among the -spectators close around the fire. It is miraculous that no one was killed. Three firemen were thrown about twenty feet, but were uninjured. One tin of tallow, weighing a couple of hundredweight narrowly missed hitting the fire engine and a group of firemen. The public, becoming panic-stricken, . rushed madly away to escape the Hying missiles, numbers of people falling into ditches and a creek near by. The brigade was summoned from town, and the fire engine was sent down, but only a small pressure could be obtained from the adjacent creek. The blaze, fed by thirty casks of oil in the upper storey and vats of fat and tallow was tremendous, and the brigade did remarkably well to save Scott's and some of the stores adjoining. The fire is still burning, and will do so for a couple of days yet. The putbreak is thought to have started in the top storey, behind one of the tallow vats but how 7 is a mystery. Three hours before, when -. Mr. Harry Gillberd went through the works, all was apparently safe. By a strange coincidence it is three years all but two days since the last fire, when tlie works were destroyed. Although the insurances total i'-ifillO, Gilberds sav thev will be heavy losers, owing to the amount of stock <>stwyed, including nearly 70 tons ot soap ready for shipment. The insurances on stock and buildings are New Zealand Office £IOOO. South British £IOOO. Koval Exchange £IOOO. Atlas £SOO, Royal £"00, United £3OO and Sun £3OO. y