DOMINION FIRE LOSSES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 165, 8 October 1941, Page 2

DOMINION FIRE LOSSES

TOLL IN HUMAN LIVES AND IN

MONEY

THE FALSE-ALARM MENACE

The Dominion lost £772,692 during the year ended March 31 last through fires, according to the annual report of the Fire Brigades' Association. This Avas an increase of £62,079 on the losses of the previous year.. This increase is probably due in large measure to the increased valuation of buildings and their contents. The losses in large fires over £5000 seems to be the dc- : termining factor in the lire losses of the Dominion. The cycle of large fires in the previous year's repor! continues. Fires during the year were responsible for 19 deaths and 14 cases oi serious inj.ury. Fifteen persons were killed by being trapped in burning buildings or by clothes catching fire, and two because of petrol for home dry-cleaning. One man was killed by a fire engine responding to a malicious false alarm. It is said to note this loss of life, mainly due to carelessness or negligence. In every home precautions should be taken to provide proper and adequate exits hi case of fire, but it is not many homes where this is provided. Those who use petrol for dry-cleaning puiv poses run great risks, but warnings u«ainst this practice will continue to be unheeded; the motive is to save expe:.re. It is only the experienced dry-cleaners who can handle petrol with some degree of safety.

The pranks of some hoodlum in giving a false alarm cost one man his life, and perhaps to the lasting regret of the silly person who gave the false alarm. It is very difficult to catch those who give false alarms, f'or they soon disappear from the spene of mischief. But the false

alarm nuisance will never abate for each generation brings out its crop of hoodlums and brainless young men who delight in dangerous pranks. The report enables us to appreciate the work of the 1 fire brigades in peace and in war.