$3m Fire at Tumut Timber Mill

12 April 1976

The Canberra Times

A fire in Tumut on Saturday night caused damage estimated by Tumut police at $3 million to a pinewood timber mill.

A police spokesman said yesterday that a small fire in the mill had been noticed by a passer- by at 11.15pm on Saturday.

By the time the person had telephoned the police and the fire brigade the fire had spread and engulfed the entire mill.

Although it was not certain what had caused the fire, police said an electrical fault in some sawing equipment in the mill might have started it.

The fire was brought under control in about 45 minutes by units from the Tumut town brigade and local bushfire brigades.

The captain of the town brigade, Captain N. Bye, said the brigade had been hampered by low water pressure from street hydrants and he had had to call in water tankers.

Firemen had been hampered also by flaming parts of the building collapsing around them.

The mill is owned by PGH Wood Products. The company's general manager, Mr M. Hearnden, was unable yesterday to give any details of the fire or the damage it caused. The company would make an official statement today.