FIRE BRIGADE ENQUIRY.

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 May 1901, Page 2

FIRE BRIGADE ENQUIRY.

A meeting of Committee of the Borough Council was held in tho Town Hall yetterday afternoon at 2 p.m. to investigate certain matters in committee with the recent fire in Eichmond Quay. All the Councillors were present and tho Mayor presided. The chief points for enquiry wore : 1. The cause of the break down in the steam fire engine,

2. The absence of No. 1 manual from the Fire Brigade Station. 3. The reported friction between the officers and men.

Captain Vinson, examined.—On alarm I ran down and when I got to the fire I went to back of Ashton's Hotel. They were then bringing in branch. I ordered them to balcony and then proceeded to front of building. I met the Lieutenant and asked for hose. I said where is the steamer. He said at Gilmer standpipe. We have got one line of hose out and I want more hose for second line. I then went to front of Ashton's and he went for hose. When water was on I directed it to front of hotel. The 2nd line of hose was now down to boarding house. I was asked to put the hose on to the corner of the building. I said I would be there directly. I then went back to Steer's and was called on to the balcony by branchmen, (M'Leod and Kennedy) both of whom wished to remove Revington> out of the way as he was interferring with the work. I was at the top of the ladder and Mr Revington came to the window and asked for an axe and also asked the branchmen previously. I handed Mr Revington the axe through the window and told him not' to interfere with the working of the men. Mr Revington then went away into the building and I went down between Ashton's and the boarding house, and the building in Ashton's yard was then on fire. I directed the branch of the manual to be turned on to that building, as I considered it had got a firm hold, as no doubt Easson and Co. would have gone. I then came back to Richmond Quay and Fire Inspector Petrie said—now I think you havo got it all right. A few minutes after that Lieutenant Ryan catne to me and told me Engineer Latimer had blown r.he " pack up. " At that moment Fire Inspector Petrie came to me and aeked what was the matter with the water. In the mean time I sent Lieutenant Ryan to f.ho engine to see what was tho matter, and if it was possible to got water. At that time some one came up and told me the Captain of the Rosamond would give us water if we would take it. I then sent Ryan to put down the hose to the Rosamond. We carried the branch of tho Rosamond hose into Tidd's building. Some time after that I got a message from Engineer stating he had got water again. If steamer had not broken down the fire would have stopped with Ashton's tfotel loss. It has been a standing rule if the Gilmer block burnt to go to Tidd's stand pipe, and vice versa. My own opinion was the steamer should have been put at Tidd's. I think a man could have stood at Tidd's on that night. If the steamer had been in good condition there would have boon no difficulty in keeping tho fire in check from the Gilmer stand pipe. If at Tidd's wo would havo had more branches on, and consequently as much pressure on the engine. I do not say tho engine was in bad order. [ blame no ono in tho matter. It is discretional with the man in charge to take the engine where he likes. It was faulty on that occasion to take the engine to the Gilmer. I consider the steamer equal to the work of fire extinguishing in Greymouth. The engineer ought to go with the driver. I was not there when the engine left the shed. I was at the late fire at Clougk's. The engine was in good order, but the manual put that fire out. I knocked off the manual, and was told the steamer worked all right that day. I did not notice anything wrong with the steamer. At the fire in Richmond Quay she gave a very bad supply all the time. She was tested six weeks ago at Shecdy's Hotel, and worked exceedingly well. Engineer Latimer was the engineer. He has not reported anything wrong with the engine. He has not at any time told me that anything was wrong with the engine. The valve that gave way was overhauled in the foundry. I think it questionable as to whether the valve would have blown out at another place. She was not throwing the jet she ought to throw. The manual was not in the shed. She had come from the Blackball fire and she was under repair by order of Mr Lord. She was there 14 days. We have always relied on the steamer and No. 1 manuel, and the No. 2 manual was not required. I would allow one of tho manual to go out of the shed. I looked at it that one manual was there and that was enough. One manual is as good as the other. The engine took eight days to repair after the Blackball fire. The engine should have been at Perotti's. I now consider it an error of judgement to have kept the manual at the shop. She was ready to come out of the shop except the painting. Ido admit it was too long as Captain to keep the engine three weeks in my shop, I admit it was an error of judgment on my part. Previous to this the manual had been at the foundry for three weeks. The manual could be painted in the hall as well as in my shop. Tho water from the Rosamond was very fair, but nothing like the steamer. The driver took up the steamer to the stand-pipe at the Gilmer.

Lieutenant llyan.—My duty is to take charge of the steamer, to locate the fire, and take the steamer to place to work. "The alarm was faulty. The big bell attracted me. I went to engine-house and found the apparatus gone. I ran in the direction of the fire towards Tidd's, and found engine at Gilmer and one line of hose out to the fire. I went to help with second lead of hose. I picked up the reel at C. Smith's. The hose gave out there, I went back to Ashton'.~. and got the manual hose and completed the two lines to the fire. By the time I got back the water was running into the street. Ttold engineer to stop while we connected —about 20 seconds. 2000 feet of hose in the two lines were out. I went then to the front part of the building and assisted under Captain's command. The water was doing very good work. My attention was drawn by a branchman to the pressure—about 15 minutes were pumping. He said it was weak. I went to steamer and asked for more water. The engineer made some

remark about something wrong with one of the pumps, but lie gave more water. About 10 minutes after the packing blew out—he blew "pack up." We then formed a bucket brigade. The Rosamond offered water, and they assisted a good deal. We tried to get water from I the engine tank, but a steamer showed I water before we got it. The steamer was idle 35 minutes. They had to send 'to the hall for packing. The supply of water was defective from the start of the fire. I attribute the loss of pressure to the curves in the line of hose as much as anything. Fireman Kennedy took the engine up. Some say Tidd's would have been best; others differ. In my opinion a south-west wind might make its dangerous to set up at Tidd's. We could run six jets from Tidd's It would not have been judicious to remove the engine after she was once set up. It should be I left to the engineer to place the engine, ""•'ireman Kennedy went to the Gilmer's i" >ause "of the unwritten law. We 1 " have worked at Tidd's without any coma night. In future something .clanger* .j te su , mid be arranged as to more deh* m haye a gn * u whereto go. . and cou]d cove / ]ier from the engu k h safe< . j. saw with a blanket to , rs [ andi tiu* no signs of misundt. Mrked ° tlieir I think some m^«^;i,^ t Street would A standpipe opposite Au .. ti fa be good. I know or no 11. , A tlie Captain and the M\. _.»„*,•_„„' but we P have very KM* «?g If the engine had not broke do«& 4ved of Steer's would not have been (k*i Ja?a I assisted at Clough's fire, the en-gnu ™* not work. We had no nozzle on, so > w ° did not test the steamer. The engineer should know from the sound if anything was wrong. She was last overhauled at the Foundry. T have been 16 years in the Brigade. I have never known the manual to have been out of the sh6d before, except for a new dome—a brass csating—afc the Foundry. She has been away threei weeks. She could have been painted in/. the hall. The manual would have donegood work had she been there that night, tihe is a3O man engine. She would have been better than the Rosamond. The latter threw a beautiful jet at the end. Mr. J. W. Eissenhardt—l was at the last fire pretty early, before the water was on. The Brigade got fire under control. The engine breakdown disorganised everything. The branchmen handled the branches very well and acted rightly. The breakdown of the engine was the cause of the fire spreading. Until then the fire was well under control.

Mr Latimer, Engineer to Brigade. — The alarm ran very weakly. I got up> at once and lit the engine. The driver, (Kennedy) was with me. There was a very poor attendance of members owing to the weak ringing of the bell. After pumping for some time the joint of the air chamber blew out. Mr Hamilton assisted me to repair it. It took about 20 minutes. The pressure never occurs at a practice which obtains at a fire. The poor alarm was the cause of the steamer being taken to the Gilmer. There were no officers present. We drew water in 7 minutes from arrival at stand pipe. We would not have lost a great deal if we went to Tidd's.' I had no authority to shift the engine. I should like to be put as near the fire as possible. I could work at * Tidd's without any danger. Prom Ashton's to Tidd's Btandpipe is between 40 & 50 ft. The eDgine was working satisfactory with about 100. When it blew out it registered 140 lb 3on pump. The Lieutenant asked for more pressure. I put it on. The hose was badly run out. She fetched water easily and worked well. The joint of air chamber was packed two years ago, and seemed sound. The fact of the accident shows it was wrong to leave it so long. I contend the engine was in good working order. I burst a new length of hose near the steamer. The kinks in the hose had a lot to do with the pressure. I had engine at a higher pressure than ever before. The engine after once being placed should not bo sifted. All the members of the brigade work well together at a fire. It is. as well to put on as much pressure at a practice as at a fire. I contend that the trials are not much good, except to prove that the standpipes are in order. I had 140 on at the Gilmer. I could not get more than 401bs on at Tidd's stand-pipe. Mr John Tanner, foreman.—We had No. 2 manual in lieu of No. 1. No. 1 was not there. No. 1 manual has been in Vinsen's shop from the Blackball mine fire for about a month. All landed on Monday, and took it to Vinsen's. The engine was repaired on Tuesday. The engine was then hoisted upstairs. Vinsen said Mr Lord gave orders to paint her. She has stopped there ever since until last night, and she is not fit to be looked at except at a funeral. He. has blackened her all over. She is a hearse.

The committee then adjourned till 8 p.m.

The Committee resumed its sitting in the evening.

Mr Hambleton, manager of the Dispatch Foundry said the engineer was trying to stop the air joint. He told him he would have to lift off the top to make it good, and this was done after a delay of half an hour. The packing was not good. It would have been better had it been much thinner such as thin canvass or brown paper. The packing then put 1 in was not safe, but had to be put in for fear of screws not closing up. Next day lie put in better material. The engine should be overhauled at least once every sfx months. If screws had been kept tightened up the blow out could not have occurred. These screws are easily got at and tightened up. Mr Arpaott thought that if the engiro had been placed opposite the fire it would hive done better service, and if the engine had not broken down the fire would have been confined to Ashton's Hotel. There appeared to be great confusion among the men, after the water failed. The Brigade worked well. As a matter of fact, the engine would have been perfectly safe set up opposite Boundry street.

Mr Kennedy fook the fire engine from the shed to Gilmers corner. Ho always understood that if a fire broke out in one block he was to drive the pipe in next block and vice versa. Mr Revington did not interfere with him. All the firemen were at theic post. Witness was at first on Steer's balcony. Mr itevington advised where to go in. Both he and M'Lood tried to g«t in through a window but had to eomo out again. There was plenty of time for any of the inmates in Ashton's hotel to get out.

Captain Vinsen said Mr Ashton told him all persons were out of the hotel. This was one of the first questions asked.

W. M'hezd gave a hand to put the horse in the engine and then ran out hose. The alarm was a very poor one, the big bell not sounding till after the engine was set up and a line of hose run out. Witness subsequently was on Steer's balcony and thought they wore doing good work when Mr Bevington wanted him to go through the window. As the wind was, it would have been safe to sot the engine up at Boundary Street. If No 1 manual had been there when the steam engine broke down I believe it would have kept the fire confined to Ashton's. Did not think it would bo advisable to set .up opposite Tainui Street if Gilmer Hotel was on fire. No 1 manual could have been setup opposite Albert Street, and could have saved Steer's place or the greater part of it. There was no friction bctweon the men and officers. The men wore satisfied with the Captain, *

T. Clark was at the Foundry when the -"big fire bell i".n?. When he got down -Ashton's Hotel had a big hold. Got branch from manual till the fire was 'beaten back from Steer's back premises, then went by,Fireman Tanner's direction s and put water on Restaurant. ?If fire engine had not broken down, the jfire would not, in his opinion, have got '•beyond Ashton's. Did not think it would be advisable to put up the e.igine in Tainui Street if Gilmer's Hotel was'|on fire. There was an understanding that the engine was to be erected at a place where it would not be required to be removed from on account of fire. The ibucket brigade did good service in saving residence. There was no friction among the officers and men, so far as he know, nor insubordination. John Walton, who worked with M'Leod, generally endorsed what the previous witnesses had said. He was not 'satisfied with the supply of wat?r even fVefor6 the ongine broke down. Could have got No 1 manual in work in five minutes if she was available. If she had Ibeon in Boundary street sho would have »donebetter than No 2 manual. It was 'about ten minutes after the steam engin e ibroke down when the Eosamond's water 'was given. There was no friction between the officers and men. Never know ithe manual to be away from the Brigade Hall so long. A salvage corps would assist the Brigade. This conoliided the evidence and the Committee retired to consider their decision.