FIRE INQUIRY REOPENS

Chronicle (Levin), 17 February 1948, Page 5

FIRE INQUIRY REOPENS

Witness Says More Could Have Been Rescued " CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 1 % Adjourne'd since February 6,- the Royal Commission of enquiry into the fire which destroyed the premises of J. Ballantyne and COmpany, with" the loss of 41 lives, on November 18, was resumed today. The next two- or two and a half days would be taken up with the balance of the factual narratlveand evidence by eye witnesses, the senior counsel for the Crown, Mr. G. G. G. Watson, told the commission. Evidence would then be given by members of the fire brigade- as to their activities during the fire'. follo'wed-next week by the Crown 's* •expert evidence. . . "I understand that a number of people have written to the Commission, stating that they wish to give evidence,", said Mr. Watson. "If there are any people who think that they should be called',, they should make application as we do not wish to exclude any evidence which may have a bearing on the enquiry." The first witness cal'led by the Crown this morning was Alfre'd; Brian Williamson, printer, -who reached the scene of the fire shortly befare* 4 p.m. Williamson said he sg.w one fire engine and a tender. Some firemen were playing water on the first floor windows of Congreve's Building. Williamson said he drew a fireman's attention" to the rapidly spreading smoke. He spoke to. another firemen about two or three girls at the top story windows of Goodman's Building. Witness said he thought some attempt shoul'd be made to rescue the girls in view of the increasing danger, but the fireman thought it better to put the fire out below, then the girls would be safe. He saw no ladders used to rescue the girls in Goodman's Buildine continued witness. He followed another civilian up a ladder to the verandah on Pratt's. Building,. where two girls had climbed out of' the windows. First one and then the other jumped to the vehandah. and Williamson and the other civilian, Paul Mollineaux, a previous witness, threw them down into a safety net. There was no fireman on the ladder or verandah. Williamson described how he and other civilians ha'd manned a hose, and also other attempts to assist the fireman. He said that civilians had acted on their own initiative in manning the hose. In reply to Mr. T. 'A. Gresson, for. Ballantyne's, Williamson said that if there had been a ladder available and men to- handle it, there would have been no obstruction to the rescue of the girls in Goodman's Buildings.