SILVER GRID FIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1917, Page 4

SILVER GRID FIRE.

CORONER'S INQUIRY. INSUFFICIENT FIRE ESCAPES. Ohristchureh, Nov. 27. The inquest on the victims of the Silver Grid fire concluded to-day. The coroner, in giving his verdict, drew attention to the very incomplete arrangements for an escape from fire. In the present case there was a narrow board running along a glass verandah, and there was no means of getting to the ground frora_ the verandah. One would have to walk 1 along the board and escape through the window of the next door building. The coroner's finding was to the effect that Elsie Slack, Frederick William Hatch, and Thomas David Smith died on the 19th, Annie Smith, Thomas Edward Gledhill on the 20th, and Henry Herbert Beere on the 21st of November; that the cause of the death of Hatch was suffocation, and of the other deceased persons burns and shock received, There was no evidence to show how the fire originated. The evidence showed that the means provided for escape in case of fire were not sufficient for that part of the buttling lying to the front of tho staircase. The coroner said ho wished to add the following rid«r to the verdict: (1) "That it is not desirable that verafldahs roofed with glass should bo permitted on uny buildings used as boarding houses or for public purposes; (2) that it

is desirable that in all fire districts the same gower of inspection of the means of escape in case of fire be given to the superintendent of the fire brigade in respect of Iboanding-licwisoß and similar public buildings as is now given to him by the Fire Brigades Act in respect of places of public amusement."