FIRE AT NAPIER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 April 1940, Page 2

FIRE AT NAPIER

BIGGEST FOR SOME YEARS. FURNITURE FACTORY DESTROYED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) NAPIER. April 1. Fire extensively damaged the furniture factory’ ! and mortuary chapel of C. E. Rogers and Co.. Emerson Street, Napier, in the largest outbreak that has occurred in the business area of the town since that of the 1931 earthquake. The fire is understood to have started in the workrooms of the building. where kapok and other combustible materials used in upholstering were stored, but the flames spread with such rapidity as to make it difficult to determine exactly where the outbreak originated. Sweeping through highly-inflamm-able materials, the fire soon gained control and burst through the roof.' 1 Frequent explosions were caused by burning gas. It was not possible to disconnect the gas supply till an hour or more had elapsed. A fortunate feature was an absence of wind. Garages on each side of the mortuary chapel in Tennyson Street, were endangered at the height of the fire, and from these large numbers of motor-cars were moved to safety. Large quantities of timber and roofing iron had to be torn away to reach the seat of the fire. Kapok formed a large part of the material stored in the building, and fresh outbreaks in this proved difficult to deal with. Brigadesmen undertook hazardous work in climbing on to the blazing roof to fight the flames at close range.. It has not yet been possible to make an accurate assessment of the damage. It is considered likely that part of the machinery may be salvaged. The building and machinery were insured for £750, and the stock for £l5O. Large stocks of materials on hand at the time were not covered by insurance.