FIRE DEVASTATES 3ZB

Radio Record, 27 May 1938, Page 19

FIRE DEVASTATES 3ZB

. rr rr rs STATION TAKES ‘AGAIN ONLY TWO HOURS LATER

| ANDSOMELY appointed 3ZB studios and offices were destroyed by a devastaiing fire at 4 o'clock on Sundey morning. Byéa.m., slick organisation had enabled the station to carry on as. usual from @ point seven miles distant. (‘HE fire completely destroyed the. Colombo Street studios. When the Controller of the Commercial Broadcasting Service, Mr. C. G. Scrimgeour, arrived by plane a few hours later, the station was little more than a pile of smouldering ruins. By a feat of quick organisation, probably unparalleled in radio, the station was ou the air at another point! at 6 a.m., with its early morning announcers delivering a full programme,: which was carried through, under strain, throughout the day. In the evening 2 first-class studio presentation by Mr. Jack Maybury and his orchestra of eight performers was given as programmed. Station 3ZB is situated in Colombo Street, over premises used by Macduff’s Stores, and because of its ornate design and furnishing, was regarded as the best-appoint-ed station in New Zealand or Ausralia. The outbreak quickly spread to aii parts of the building. In the absence of the Station Director, Mr F. W. Simpson, who was on an official visit to Wellington, the acting-Station Director, Mr. Merton Bullivant (advertising manager), gained entrance to the building and was able to save portiou of the programme and_= advertising schedules, which, along with a few records borrowed hurriedly by the programme organiser, Mr. Hunter, were rushed to the transmitter building at New Brighton. Here a room was rigged up as a studio, and with practically the full staff standing by, the station went

— ee Oh on. the uiv at 6 a.m. to the minute, with the early-morning announcers sending out thei usual cheery greotings to the farming’ communi ‘Vo From Auckland was urgently rusbed the studio equipment of the old Frien«ly Road, 1ZB station. Arrangements were put in train for office accommodation, and it is expected that in the course Of a week organisation will again be functioning as normal. The Controller of the Commercial Broadcasting Service, Mr. C, G, Scrimgeour, accompanied by Mr, W. J. Crowther, business manager, Mr, Mirie Grainger, chief engineer, and Mr. PF. W. Simpson, director of 3ZB, left by the first available *plane for Christchurch, after arranging by telephove as far as was possible to secure the necessary accommodation for the continuance of 3ZB in the southern centre. The National Advertising Manager, Mr. B. T. Sheil, arrived from Dunedin at 11 a.m. Interviewed by the "Record," .Mr. Scrimgeour said that the fact that the station was able to continue as usual at 6 a.m. was one of the most remarkable examples of efficiency and flexihility of organisation, that it had ever been his privilege to encounter. "While the ashes of the studio and otfices were still hot," he said, "the advertising manager, assisted by the police, found his way into the building, and, from the scattered debris, was able to save part of the advertising and programming schedules, and organise the necessary staff, with the result that two hours later the business of the station was continued as usual, from @ point. some miles distant, in such 2 manner as to convey the impression to the public at large that nothing out of the ordinary had happened, It was really a magnificent effort on the part of the 8ZB staff, and, I should say. unprecedented in the annals of radio." The contents of the building were insured. The fire brigade, driven back by intense heat, was practically powerless, and was compelled to concentrate on preventing the spread of the conflagration to adjoining premises.