EVIDENCE OF FIREMEN

Chronicle (Levin), 20 February 1948, Page 5

EVIDENCE OF FIREMEN

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Electric Ladder Not Sent To - BaHaB^ne's '

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OHRISTCHUfRGH, Feh. 20, Interest in the proeeedings nf the Royal Commission's inquiry mto Ballantyrie's* fire auickened tMs moming, when a start was- made • with the evidenee ^srf inexrtbers of , the fire brigade, WiUiam'Frederick Charles - Hahn, •- a third-class nre-rhan-drlver, said he was oh wateh- : house duty o-n the aftemoon of the ifire. -He received the call. to the ifire at 3. 46 ' p.m., from man. wlio isaid:; "I have been toM to> notify ;vou that there is & fire mf the cel-. lar of Ballantyn.e's," Wi-tness reIpeated «part of the message bactes ahd. threw over the "GeneraB Alarm" switch. * . Burrows was In charge , of the -station at the time amdf- witnese ekpected two motors, a salwage van* and an electric ladder to- lea-ve' hecause it was » the usuai thing: when a fire was in the city area. He entered, them up as leaving^ but later he learned that the ladder had not left, .' : , About a minute later a call came from a woman who asked him .to send engines to a eellar fire at Ballantyne's.' Witness told her they had 'gone. ' There was another call but he di'd not take it. Hahn -said the person who rang did' not say who had told f him to ring, when Mr. Cleary, said an employee of Ballantyne's would say the words he had used when he rang wei;e, "I have been instructed by Roger Ballantyne." Hahn said no name had been given. He did not ask who was speaking and he said he went off duty at 9.53 p.m,, Fireman Endicott taking over. He did. not see the appliances leaving but.Jhe heard them ahd he assumed that v the two engines, salvage van and* ladder went on receipt of the call. He had reported to Station Officer Thompson who was duty officer and he thtought it would be the duty officer's re^ponsibility to say what would go.. He had heard Thompson notify the electricity department; . waterworks, traffic and other services imhiediately. When the ".Generaf ^ Al^rm" was given, every bell rang a'lNJ all the men turned out to their mot&rs. The- hearing is proceeding.