BLAZE IN AUCKLAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 March 1939, Page 6

BLAZE IN AUCKLAND

DESTRUCTION OF BIG TIMBER MILL FLAMES SPREAD ALONG WATERFRONT. SOME YACHTS & LAUNCHES DESTROYED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND. This Day. After immunity from fire loss for sixty years Messrs D. Goldie and Sons timber mill at St Mary’s Bay, on the western waterfront, including buildings covering over an acre, was destroyed by fire early last evening. Within fifteen minutes of the discovery of the fire the whole area was an inferno and th» firemen’s efforts were concentrated on preventing a spread to adjoining _ boat-building yards and neighbouring bulk oil stores. The flames spread to the waterfront and several yachts and launches were destroyed. Only a shell remains of the Victoria Cruising Club’s pavilion. Club members worked frantically to remove ■•. mall craft. The damage is estimated to amount to at least £lO,OOO, while the insurance is about- £7OOO. Two firemen, a cqnstable apd a yachtsman were taken to hospital. Five others suffered minor injuries. GREAT BATTLE BY BRIGADE. A heavy column of black smoke, followed by fierce flames leaping a hundred feet into the air, informed citizens of the most spectacular fire for some years. While a cordon of police held back thousands of spectators, thirty firemen waged a threehour battle against the flames before the mastery was gained. A nightwatchman, Mr D. W. Evans, found all well at 8.30 p.m., but an hour later discovered an incipient fire smouldering in loose shavings beneath a hopper at the back of the mill office. He sprinted in a few seconds to a street fire alarm, but almost before he had broken the glass in the alarm box flames were leaping high into the air. Within a minute or two a third of the mill ■ was enveloped in flames. Fanned bv 'a north-east breeze, the fire spread to stacks of - dry timber, and when four fire engines arrived flames were rising from almost every section. For the first quarter of an hour, the firemen endeavoured to prevent the flames spreading to the yards of Shipbuilders, Ltd., on the northern side, and to protect the bulk store of the Vacuum Oil Company Proprietary, Ltd., on the opposite side of Poore Street.

The main danger point was the Vacuum Oil stores. When the • firemen arrived, smoke was rising from the roof. They immediately hosed the building. Clouds of steam arose, and when an inspection was made, the oil inside the store was found to be warm. The firemen gave immediate attention to that and probably averted a still greater disaster.