THE SILVER GRID FIRE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 55, 28 November 1917, Page 5

THE SILVER GRID FIRE

INSUFFICIENT MEANS OF ESCAPE

RECOMMENDATION AS TO

INSPECTION

■I By Teleeraph—Press Association. Christchurch, November 27. Tho inquest on "the victims of the Silver Grid fire concluded to-day. The Coroner, in giving the verdict, drew attention to tho very incomplete arrange, ments made for an escape from fire in tho present case. There was a narrow board running along a glass verandah, and there was no means of getting to the ground from tho verandah. One would have to walk along the hoard and escapo through the winch of the next-door building. The Cormier's finding was to tho effect that jjlsie Stack, Frederick William Hatch, and Thomas David Smith died on November 1!), Annie Smith and Thomas Edward Gledhill on November 20, and Henry Herbert Beoro on November 21. That the cause of the death of Hatch was suffocation, and of tho other deceased persons shock ..from burns received. There was no evidenceto show how the fire originated. Tho evidence showed that thr means provided for escape in case of fire were not sufficient for that part of the building lying to tho front of the (staircase. The Coroner said he wished to add tho following rider to tho verdict: "That it is not. desirable that verandahs roofed with glass should he permitted on any building used as a boardingbouse or for public purposes; (2) that it is desirable in all fire districts that tho same power of inspection of tho means of escape in case or firo be given to tho superintendent of the fire brigade in respect of boardinghouses and similar public buildings as is now given to him by tho Fire Brigades Act in respect of places of public amusoment."