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194. At about that time two of those trapped in Pratt's building jumped from the second window from the alleyway on the Colombo Street frontage of Pratt's on to the veranda. Both were injured and taken to hospital. About a minute later an employee (Mrs. Cody) jumped from a second-story window in Pratt's building facing Cashel Street, and was so injured that she later died in hospital. Some five minutes later Mr. Kenneth Ballantyne was seen sitting on a ledge of the centre Colombo Street window of the second story of Pratt's building. 195. The attempted rescue of the two girls who jumped from the second-floor windows of Pratt's building in Colombo Street was due to the initiative of two civilians (Messrs. Molineaux and Williamson), the leading part being taken by the former. His evidence was to the effect that he was appalled to see two girls, at a time when flames were appearing in many parts of the buildings, on the window-ledge in Pratt's building, and it seems to him these girls would perish. He said he crossed the street and ascended by a carpenters' ladder to the veranda and appealed to the girls to jump, which they did. Both Molineaux and Williamson said no member of the fire brigade was on the veranda when the girls jumped, but three members of the brigade gave evidence that they were present. The weight of independent evidence supported the accounts given by Molineaux and Williamson, but the spectacular nature of the rescues, we think, might well have distracted the attention of the independent witnesses so that it is likely that, ultimately, there were both firemen and civilians on the veranda. Nevertheless, we feel that the major part in the rescue, as far as operations on the veranda were concerned, was carried out by these two civilians. Firemen may have assisted to drop the girls from the veranda into the jumping-sheet held on the street. Prom evidence given it appears clear that the unusual gable roof construction of the veranda precluded the possibility of a jumping-sheet being used on the veranda. 196. It is to be remembered that, immediately prior to this rescue, firemen had been engaged in an abortive attempt at rescue from Goodmans and in view of this and the break-through of the fire, unexpected as it was by brigadesmen, there would be a certain amount of disorganization and dispersal of brigadesmen. 197. The rescue of Mr. Kenneth Ballantyne from a second-floor window in the Colombo Street frontage of Pratt's building took place not earlier than 4.10, and probably not earlier than six minutes after the girls jumped, and has been described as a miracle. The witness (Mr. Molineaux) said it seemed incredible, at that stage of the fire, that a person could be up there and still alive. Although a Mr. Agass, a civilian, deposed to having taken some part in the rescue of Mr. Ballantyne, we think his must have been a very minor part. This rescue was effected under most difficult and hazardous conditions. In this rescue an Ajax ladder was used to reach the veranda, and a builders' ladder was used for the actual rescue. The rescue was carried out at great personal risk while firemen directed leads of water to make the rescue possible in the face of considerable smoke, heat, and flame, and we think no criticism can be levelled at the brigade in this instance. 198. The only other person who left the upper floor of the building after the breakthrough of the fire was a Mrs. Cody, who jumped, from a second-story window of Pratt's building in Cashel Street, and was so injured in her fall that she died later in hospital. No person actually saw her make the jump, but a fireman who was operating a hose from the top of the Tilling-Stevens ladder on the corner of Cashel and Colombo Streets heard a whirr and a moan, and noticed the body of a person lying in the roadway. 199. We have no reason to doubt either the ability or the courage of the members of the fire brigade. We have no doubt they would have been willing to take all the risks firemen know are dependent upon fire-fighting, and if they had had leadership which

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