SEACLIFF FIRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 June 1943, Page 4

SEACLIFF FIRE

FINDINGS OF COMMISSION OF INQUIRY NO DERELICTION OF DUTY BY STAFF. DISASTER DUE TO BAD DESIGN OF BUILDINGS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. A report by a commission on the fire at Seacliff Mental Hospital in December last, in which a number of women patients lost their lives, was presented to the House of Representatives this morning by the Health Minister (Mr Nordmeyer). The commission stated that the fire hazard was due to the original design of the building. The Fire Brigade was efficiently trained and acted effectively. The staff also displayed coolness, resource and excellent organisation. The fire-fight-ing appliances were adequatq, but, the water pressure was insufficient. It was unfortunate that, owing to a staff shortage, a nurse was not on duty at all times in Ward 5 at night. There was no evidence of any dereliction of duty or of the cause of the fire. On the question of reducing fire hazards, the view of all expert witnesses was that the wards should be of one storey, built on the villa system, of fire-resisting material, and spaced to prevent the spread of fire. The commission very definitely was of opinion that a modern alarm-re-cording system, preferably with an automatic sprinkler, should 'be installed throughout Seacliff and similar institutions. In addition a suitable employee should be appointed in charge of the fire brigade to organise and supervise all its duties and be responsible for the maintenance of all equipment. The Minister, in a comment on the report, said the Government approved the recommendations of the commission.