FIRE AT OHAKUNE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 279, 17 April 1913, Page 5

FIRE AT OHAKUNE.

SAWMLL BURNED 1 .. - By Telegraph—Press Association-.. Okahune, Wednesday. A disastrous fire broke out at Gamman's sawmill, Okahuue, Inst night at nine o'clock. The whole mill and plant were gutted. The loss is estimated at £20,000. Fortunately there was no wind, otherwise probably the whole town would have gone. Over 200 men are thrown out of employment. Several cottages and their contents were, also destroyed.

Tnihape, Wednesday. : The fire at Gamlnan's sawmill, Ohn- ; kune East, broke out at 9.20 last night. An employee passed , the mill earlier V . and all appeared right. Ten minutes . later he saw a glare and raised an ahum. The employees and residents ' quickly mustered and made strenuous efforts to cope with the outbreak, but the lire spread so rapidly and the heat was so intense that it caused the 4-inch water supply pipes to burst and the hose to burn through almost as soonas it got going. It was soon seen that the mill was doomed, and efforts were directed towards saving the adjacent buildings and the timber in the yards.-, The assistance of the Ohakune brigade was of great service in this respect and the combined efforts were successful. The locomotive shed, box factory and moulding shed were saved, also a' large portion of the timber in the drying shed, where about three tons of timber were stored. The mill and machinery there- '' in were totally destroyed. It was found necessary to tear the iron off f\ie roofs of the sheds so as to facilitate the efforts of the bucket and fire brigades, both of which did splendid work. The only machinery saved in the mill was the Pacific coast bench, which was badly seorched. Had not the intense heat put the water supply out of action the progress of the (ire would doubtless have been arrested. The insurances on the mill and timber were £OOOO in the Norwich Union. The loss is estimated at over £12,000. Ninety men are rendered idle. Tioth proprietors were absent, one at Tauranga and the other in Taraaaki. The latter is expected to arrive to-day. The mill has of late been in full work in consequence of improved trade, hence there are large stocks of timber in the yards. It is one of the largest and best equipped mills in the Dominion. The lire originated near one of the boilers, but the cause of the fire is a mystery.