HEROES OF GREAT OIL FIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 February 1918, Page 2

HEROES OF GREAT OIL FIRE.

'SUPERINTENDENT WHO FACED CERTAIN DEATH.. " A story of gallantry and self-sacrifice which cost one of those who took, pnrt ills life was told recently in tins Loidbn Gazette, • which recorded the award" of tho.Albort Medal in gold to Mr. Robert' Leiper , Lindsay, lato superintendent of, the, Tembi'Pumping Station of.tlie. An-glo-Hersian Oil Company, and the Albert Medal to Mr James Still, his.-assistant; for their services'at a disastrous' lire which destroyed part.of .the station. ' : 'On July 9 one of the oil pipe' Valves hurst at a point where the pressure was 7001b to the square inch : ,and a great fountain of oil was thrown, to a great height and"in all directions. .The occurred' within' thirty yards,of tlie oflen and glowing furnaces of. the boilers, and it was obvious that a disastrous .Are, in, v.olving the whole station aud compound, .which was populated by 300.,iiaitivcs/ was a question of seconds: ..Mr Lindsay was near the furnaces; but to reacli them it was neccsaiy to pass through-the oil shower, and'thus arrive at the furnace doors soahtd and dripping with oil. To do so meant almost certainly a terrible death, but Mr. Lindsay did not hesitate. Shouting to his assistant, Mr. Still, to turn oft' the pumps, he dashed through the oil, and had succeeded in turning otf the first oil cock when the whole atmosphere burst into flame. Ho staggered away, but died from his injuries some hours later. Meanwhile Mr. Still hail succeeded in turning oft most of the pumps when tho fire burst out. He was cut off from all doors, but managed to escape by a window, stupefied by heat- and smoke. He then sought for and found Mr. Lindsay, and having recovered him returned to do'.' what lie could to limit the damage. Thanks largely to his efforts a new pumping-honse, which had just been established, was saved.