[August 28, 1908 – Auckland Star] The glare reflected from sheets of flame issuing from the eaves and windows of the Mt. Albert railway station awakened the residents in the vicinity shortly after midnight this morning. The first to become aware of the fire was Mr. F. W. Hunt, who after hurriedly dressing, rushed out, to find the flames with such a strong hold, that nothing could be done to quell the outbreak.
The nearest brigade is at Morningside, and it could be seen that before this could possibly arrive, the building would be in ashes. The flames travelled rapidly, and in a short space of time nothing remained beyond a few scattered vestiges of charred wood and a heap of twisted corrugated iron.
The porter in charge of the station (G. C. Best) left for his home, which is just opposite the station, at about 7.30 p.m., and when the last train passed through at 11.45 everything was apparently in order. On the outbreak, Best at once communicated with the Auckland station, but no means of giving assistance could be devised. A stove in the office had contained a fire during the day, but when the officer left he carefully extinguished this.
The Department’s officials have no clue to the origin of the outbreak. The building and fittings were not insured, it not being the custom of the Department to take out policies on such property. The loss is about £2OO, a large portion of this amount being on three tablet instruments destroyed.
The scene at Mt. Albert station this morning when the residents gathered on the platform to take the early trains to town afforded something in the nature of a study in expression. For some time past there have been repeated complaints about the accommodation, and lack of verandah area at this depot, and it was with surprise not unmixed with satisfaction that the passengers surveyed the ruins of their station building. The district is said to be now contentedly awaiting the erection of a new and more commodious structure.