West Cumberland Times 21 November 1928 21 Nov. 1928 Fire at Whitehaven Carpet Mill

21 Nov. 1928 Fire at Whitehaven Carpet Mill

DYE HOUSE  DESTROYED. _____ Extensive Damage. Considerable damage, which cannot yet be estimated in  figures, was caused by a destructive fire which broke out in a dye house at the  carpet mill of Messrs. GOODACRE and Son, Ltd., Catherine Street, Whitehaven, on  Saturday afternoon. The building, which contained raw material and  machinery, is adjacent to the mill itself, and the outbreak was discovered  shortly before four o’clock. Owing to trouble with the telephone there was some  little delay in sounding the fire horn, but a fireman, who happened to be at the  football match between Cumberland and Liverpool on the nearby Playground, saw  smoke and flames issuing from the building and promptly ran to the fire station  in Scotch Street, where fortunately, Capt. O’NEILL and half a dozen members of  the Brigade were in the recreation room. They immediately proceeded to the place  with a hose, and were actually on the scene when the fire horn was sounded. When  the firemen arrived the flames had got a strong hold and were, in the words of Capt. O’ NEILL, roaring like a furnace, the fire being fanned by a strong wind.  The Brigade connected up with the hydrant in the mill yard and concentrated on saving the main building. This object they succeeded in achieving, but the building where the fire originated - how, it is unknown - was gutted, and matting material and some valuable machinery were destroyed. Some motors also  fell through a floor to the bottom of the building and were damaged. A number of bales of coco matting, however, were removed from the store into the yard by voluntary helpers and were thus saved from destruction. While the fire lasted it provided a fine spectacle for  the onlookers. Many spectators at the football match, in fact, turned their  attention to the burning building and joined the crowd which had gathered in the  approaches to the mill. The building, which was of brick, had a glass roof,  which collapsed early on, and so great was the heat that the glass was melted  and twisted into curious shapes. During the operations of the Brigade a portion of a  wall fell, and Capt. O’ NEILL had a lucky escape from serious injury. He was  struck between the shoulders by a heavy piece of masonry, and for a time was  stunned, but he was afterwards able to continue to direct the work of his men.  The fire was finally overcome by about seven o’clock, but members of the Brigade  stood by throughout the night as a precautionary measure. The damage is covered  by insurance. It being Saturday afternoon there were no work people  in the mill at the time. An unfortunate result of the fire is the fact that the  major portion of the employees have been idle this week, but we are glad to  announce from an official source that the management are making special efforts  to re-start most of the workers before the end of the week, and although the  production of the Company will naturally be limited to a certain extent, there  will be no serious interference.

 

< Prev		Next >