FIRE-ENGINE SMASH.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18410, 17 June 1925, Page 11

FIRE-ENGINE SMASH.

INJURED MEN PROGRESSING. Christchurch was considerably shocked by the tragedy which occurred on Monday night, when a fire-engine and a motcr-car collided. Sympathy with the relatives of the late StationOfficer J. n. Noblettand the firemen who were injured was expressed on all sides, and the accident was the chief topic of tho day. Although the'-news of the smash spread quickly ou Monday night, the majority of tho public knciv nothing about it until they received tho morning paper yesterday, and even some occupiers of houses within a few paces of the locality were unaware on Monday night that anything untoward had occurred. All the injured men were covered by insurance. Repairs to the fireengine will cost something in the vicinity of £2OO. Tho condition of the injured firemen is satisfactory. Fireman P. J. Taylor, a married man, aged 2-3. who suffered a broken left leg, and Fireman K. E. Downing (single), who received bad bruises on the knee and back, are reported to be progressing well, and the others. Fireman T. B. Jlobb, officer in charge (married), who received cuts.on the forehead and right eye, Mechanic W. Low (single), who suffered bruises on the leg and arm, Fireman C. Wilton, who received a. cut leg and bruised back, and Fireman \v. H. Collett (single), who received abrasions ou tho arm and elbow, were treated as outpatients. Fireman Downing was discharged yesterday, leaving Fireman P. J. Taylor in Hospital.

Plea for Consideration. Superintendent 0. 0. Warner,. of the Chriacburcb. Fire Brignde, when interviewed yesterday, in connexion with the accident, extended a plea to the general public to exercise consideration for firemen when cajled to a fire. Firemen, he said, were always ready to risk their lives, and he considered' ho was not asking for too much when he requested, that they bo given a clear course when answering a summons to attend a fire.. "Motor-cars, cyclists, and all other traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian,' should, on hearing the fireengine, draw to the side of the road, and got out of the course of the engine as quickly as possible. Thero is a tendency for motorists, cyclists, and drivers of -vehicles of every description to follow up tho fire-engines,' and in some cases, endeavour to, overtake them. . Motor-cyclists often speed up with tho idea of getting ahead of the engines.. Some motorists do not keep a sufficiently good look-out when crossing, the, intersections.. On. numerous occasions accidents have been narrowly avoided on account of the attitude.of these people. They don't think; and I am, sure many of them don't care, but just .trust to luck whether, there is a mishap or not.'' .■Referring to traffic at street intersections when the fire-engine was approaching,' the superintendent stated that drivers of vehicles, no matter what their nature, should,; on hearing the siren, assume that the engine, is coming in their direction and draw to the side of tho road, instead of attempting to epeed, across the-inter-section as many of them did. A protector of life and- property, the fire-. man took his life in bis hands,, and it was only' fair play- that the public should in .minimising his risk, to ■as great an'extent as possible: The sad accident of the' previous • evening should serve as a warning to citizens that they should help the brigade as much aspossjble, and give the engines a clear road when answering a calU Superintendent -Warner stated that during tho day messages otf sympathy had been received from all'parts of'the Dominion.' The Fire Board, and members of' the brigade especially, appreciated Lady Alice Fergusson's expression of sympathy, and the injured men, too, were extremely grateful ,for her thoughtful act of kindness. •

■'■■ The Chairman's Statement. Referring to the accident of the previous evening, Mr A. Williams, chairman of the Fire Board, expressed his deep personal Sympathy with the relatives and comrades of the late stationofficcr. The public, he said, should learn a lesson from the tragedy. He concurred 'with the remarks made by Superintendent Warner with reference to traffic drawing to the side of the road when it heard the fire-engine approaching, and said that as for thoso who wero about to pass over a street intersection; they might stop for a brief moment and give the engine a clear road. It was not much to ask, but it helped to safeguard their own lives as vol! as those of the firemen. "And then there is another little matter," he said. " Had this been a false alarm last night, one can just imagine the feelings of the culprit who was the cause of the turn-out.. It would surely have weighed heavily on his mind; and with these false alarms there is always the possibility of an accident.. Often the brigade is called out on false alarms, and narrowly . misses colliding with'other vehicles. . "So I think it is up to those people who reap a'■•sinister enjoyment from the pressing of alarm buttons to turn their efforts in some other direction, and think of the firemen; they risk their lives,.sufficiently in protecting other people's property without being called upon to face unnecessary risks."

The Damaged Car. The liup car which collided with the fire-engine suffered major injurios to its fore-part. . The bumper bar, the front wheels, the steering gear and the forepart of the frame were all wrenched from their'fasteninga and badly -.twisted and otherwise damaged. Tho engine itself was forced upwards from its bod and part of ' the . engine protruded through the radiator. The area of damage extended as far as the gear change lover,-which, with other equipment, suffered dislocation. The glass wind-screen came off surprisingly well, for only a small section of the lower right-hand- corner of the screen was damaged. The car. was ono of the heavy-models and was- comparatively new/having 'been on tho road for less than twelve months, although it had covered oyer 22,000 miles in.that period. It will cost probably up to £2OO to repair the damage caused by tho collision. The driver of tho motor-car, Mr J. Cade, was riot connected 'with the New Zcaiand Farmers' Co-operative Association, as was stated yesterday.

The Funeral. The.late Station-Officer J. H. Xoblett, who-"was.killed, was-a single man, aged 33-ycars. His parents reside in Ireland, and ,hc would have completed nine years' service on Friday. The' deceased 'will be adcorded a fireman '3 funeral The body will bo boms on an engine from. the Central Fire Station at 2 p.m. to the Bromley Cemetery. Tho engine itself will be preceded'by tho Christchurch Municipal Band, and all firemen in Christchurch arc asked, to be present. The Eev, J. F. do Coursey, of St. John's Church, •will officiate at the graveside, and prior to tho Benediction Superintendent Warner nil! read the Fireman's Bitual

ovcr_ the grave. The bell at (he Fire Station will bo sounded an hour before the funeral. I Vice-Regal Sympathy. His Excellency tlio Governor-General Sir Charles Fefgusson sent tho following mcEsago of sympathy to tho Mayor yesterday for transmission to Superintendent Warner, tho men injured and tho relatives of Station Office* Noblot.t, who lost liia life while on dutv on the CDginc.. " "*• | 'Her .Excellency and T are so very grieved to hear of the sad accident to the crew of the fire engine in town last night. Will you very kindly convev to tho relatives of* Station Officer Xoblett our deep sympathy in their sorrow, and to tho injured men our sincere wish for a speedy recovery." Her Excellency Lady Alice I'ergus'son called at the Hospital" yesterday morning to enquire as to the condition of the injured men. Her Excellency also visited tho Fire Brigado Station and expressed to Superintendent Warner and tho membors of the Brigado her deep sympathy for those injured in the accident. Mayoral Sympathy. Tho Mayor, Mr J. K. Archer, sent tho following messages to Superintendent Warner:— "On behalf of tho citizens of Christchurch I desire to express their sincere sympathy with the relatives of Station Officer J. X. Noblett, who lost his life in tho unfortunate nccident last evening. Will you please forward to the relatives of Station Officer Noblctt the foregoing mosßage. j "On behalf of tho citizens of Christchurch I dosiro to express theiy sineero sympathy with you and tho other members of tho Christchurch Fire Brigado who were injured in tho unfortuuato accident last evening,"

INQUEST OPENED. Tho inquest on Station-Officer Joshua Henry Noblett, who \fas -killed by being pinned under tho engine, was opened at tho Hospital yesterday afternoon, beforo tho Coroner, Mr 11. Y. Widdowson. Sergeant C. E. Roach conducted the inquest on behalf of the police, and Mr Georgo Harper represented the Fire Board. Evidence of identification was given by Superintendent C. C. Warner, who said tho deceased was a single man, aged 33 years, and had been a member of tho Christehurch Brigade for nine years. He had no known rolatives in New Zealand. His mother resided at 3 Malvern road, Bootle, Liverpool. Deceased was a native of Ireland. He was a very steady and industrious man, and was of excellent physique. Dr. James'- J. Crawshaw, house surgeon at tho Christehurch Hospital, said he admitted tho deceased at 7.15 p.m. on Monday. He was then dead. He (witness) had examined the body and.found a gaping wound over the left eye, and a jagged piece of frontal •bone projecting. • The brain was not lacerated. ' Thero wero abrasions on the hands and loft knee. No ■' bones, other than the frcratal .bone of the skull, were broken. The gaping wound in the head would bo fataL The cause of death was syncope from shock and cerebral, injury following upon the accident. Tho injuries were consistent with deceased having'been pinned beneath, the fire engine and his skull crushed by the pressure therefrom. Death would be practically instantaneous. ■ . ■ ■.'-'.'

Coroner Expresses Sympathy. • In ..adjourning the . inquest, .. the Coroner expressed. his deep -sympathy with the mother ; of the - deceased, ■ tho members of tho Fire Brigade, and the men ..who had been injured .in - the accident. The inquest will probably be resumed in about a week's time. : A