FIRE CONTROVERSY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 May 1938, Page 5

FIRE CONTROVERSY

CHRISTCHURCH OUTBREAK UNION OFFICIAL’S REPLY TO CHAIRMAN. NO EMERGENCY ALARM GIVEN. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 26. “Six men whose leave did not expire until 8 a.m. reported for duty at 6.45 a.m. at the Central Fire Station on the morning of Macduff’s fire, and, although told there was an outbreak in the city, were not given orders to proceed to the fire,” said the secretary of the Fire Brigadesmen’s Union, Mr W. H. Mathieson, on behalf of the men in reply to a statement by Mr T. M. Charters, chairman of the fire board. The reply added that the six brigadesmen mentioned —an officer and five men —were on the station premises when the call was received at 2.47 a.m.. but, as no emergency alarm was given, they did not report until 6.45 a.m.

i Mr Mathieson said that at no time had the. staff exceeded 50 in number. At present the total strength of the . staff.' was 47. Three men had left the service and had not so far been re? ; placed. Mr Charters had made the following statement: “But for the provisions of the present award for firemen probably about half a dozen extra men could have been called out.” Mr Charters had also stated that the extra men would have been of considerable assistance if they had been available. Today Mr Charters had said that, in actual fact, the number on duty was sufficient, which was a direct contradiction of his previous statement. “As a general practice, when a big fire occurs, an emergency alarm is given after the general alarm to summon all remaining firemen to report for duty, as was the case with the recent fire at Weston Bros.’,” added Mr Mathieson. "Why, then, was not an emergency alarm given before 6.45 a.m.? At 6.45 a.m. it is the usual practice to sound three short rings on the general alarm to notify the men to parade for duty, but on the morning of the fire at Macduff’s six rings on the alarm were given, this being unusual. All men on the station reported at the watchroom for duty. They included one officer and five men, whose leave did not expire uritil 8 a.m. The men were told there was an outbreak of fire in the city, but no orders had been given for the men to proceed to the fire. The officer and five men were on the station premises when the call was received at 2.47 a.m., but, as no emergency alarm was given, the men did not report until 6.45 a.m. When the general alarm for Weston Bros.’ fire was given, no day leave men on the station answered, but an emergency alarm was given about one hour later and all day leave men on the station responded to the alarm. “As Mr Charters states that there were sufficient men at the fire, why were three policemen pressed into service to help to operate the extension ladder between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. and why was a sergeant of police directing a hose from Colombo Street on to the State Theatre building?” DEMAND FOR INQUIRY FEDERATION OF LABOUR SUPPORT (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 26. The Canterbury district council of the New Zealand Federation of Labour has announced its intention of pressing, in the interests of firemen, for a public inquiry into Monday morning’s fire and related questions. This was announced in a further statement made by the council’s chairman, Mr J. Roberts. The following telegram was forwarded yesterday by Mr L. Glover, secretary of the Dominion Fire Brigadesmen’s Federation, to Mr W. L. Wilson, superintendent of the Auckland Metropolitan Fire Board, expressing appreciation on behalf of fire brigadesmen for his statement on their willingness to serve in emergency:— On behalf of the fire brigadesmen throughout New Zealand. I appreciate your reported statements. The public and superintendents can fully rely in • the future, as in the past, on fire brigadesmen, who have always demonstrated their willingness to carry out their duties even to the point of personal sacrifice.