FIRE BOARD

Evening Star, Issue 23684, 18 September 1940, Page 12

FIRE BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING Mr W. TV. Callender presided at the monthly meeting last night of the Metropolitan Fire Board. Other members present were Messrs M. C. Henderson, W. A. Scott, J. Wilson, It. H. Ferguson, W. Johnstone, W. C. M‘l)onnell, and L. G. Wilson. The Under-Secretary of Internal Affairs wrote notifying the appointment of Mr W. C. M'Donnell as the representative of the department to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr J. Robinson. The superintendent (Mr R. H. Price) submitted the following report:— Calls Attended.—Fires, 9; chimney fires, 21; gorse, grass, and rubbish, 14. False alarms: Malicious, 5; justifiable, 1; automatic, 4; accidental, 1. Total, 65. South Dunedin attended 20 calls, Roslyn 17, and Mosgiel 1. The services of the Green Island section of the brigade were not required during the month. Serious Fires.—There were no serious fires during August, but severe damage was caused by outbreaks which occurred in a wooden dwelling, No. 40 Shetland street, on August 2, and in a wooden dwelling, No. 724 Highgate, on August 14, Causes of Outbreaks.—Cigarette butt. 1; clothing drying in front of fireplace, 1; defect in wiring of motor vehicle, 1; defect in gas pipe, 1; igniting of zylonite brush and comb placed near fire, 1; overheating of bitumen in boiler, 1; sparks from fireplace, 1; spontaneous ignition of pitch from still. 1; unknown, I. Total, 9. Properties Affected.—Boiler of bitumen. 1; dwellings, 3; motor vehicle, 1 ; public library, 1 : Railway Workshops, 1; shops, offices, etc.. 1; soap and candle factory, 1. Total 9.