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SWITCHBOARD FIRE MAPLE LEAF MILLS; DAMAGE IS $5,000
Blaze of Unknown Origin Breaks Out Early Today at Port Colborne-Mill Closes for Fumigation
[The Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, 1 October 1931]
A fire of unknown origin broke out about 7.30 a.m., this morning behind the switchboard in the electrical room of the Maple Leaf Milling Company at Port Colborne, and although the fire didn’t last long it was severe enough to cause about $5,000 worth of damage.
After the fire was discovered an attempt was made at first to quench the blaze by means of chemicals but this method proved futile and it was necessary to employ water. The employees of the mill who fought the blaze were afraid to use the water because of the danger it would cause to parts not actually in contact with the fire but the other parts were not harmed much after the water was applied.
The damage was caused mostly in the wiring behind the main switch board where the wires were burned or fused together so as to necessitate their removal and replacement with new wires. H. Cowan, superintendent of the mill, stated that this fire had nothing to do with the closing down, but that had been done for fumigation purposes.
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