FIRE MENACE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 252, 25 October 1933, Page 8

FIRE MENACE.

LINSEED OIL DANGER. SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION. CAUSE OF CITY PIKE. "Ignorance or stupidity is the cause of practically every lire," said Mr. R. J. Mills at a meeting of the Metropolitan Fire Board this morning. '"If the public were properly educated there would be no need to have a lire brigade." This comment followed a statement by tlie chairman (Mr. J. J. Kingston) that the recent lire at the premises of Wingate and Company, Ltd., in Queen Street, was the "result of spontaneous combustion, sawdust having been spread on top of linseed oil, which had been spilt and then gathered up and placed in a wooden barrel. He complimented the superintendent, Mr. W. L. Wilson, and the members of the brigade on the "good save" effected in respect to this lire, and also a lire in a warehouse block in Albert Street. In pointing out the danger of linseed oil being mixed with any foreign substance, Mr. Kingston said many women used linseed oil on rags for polishing rinra furniture, and did not know the danger when they left the rags lying about. Spontaneous combustion had probably accounted for many of the fires which had occurred in conntry stores, the real cause never being ascertained. He suggested that placards should be posted in warehouses and other places drawing attention to the danger. Fire Station Numbers. "Recently," concluded Mr. Kingston, "I was dining with nine other men, and not one of them could tell me the telephone number of the Central Fire Brigade or the telephone number of the°fire station nearest to their homes."

Mr. M. J. Coyle said that too much publicity on the subject might be an incentive to people to light fires. The chairman said that the board some years ago had been responsible for thousands of cards being sent out giving the numbers of all the fire stations, and on inspection being made a year afterwards not one could be found. Mr. A. G. Lunn said that it was most gratifying to find what good saves had been made in recent times. Ihe board was responsible for the saving of much property. The chairman said that the board was now able to concentrate a tremendous force in any part of its area without endangering any other parts of its district. Special Investigation. Referring to spontaneous combustion after the board meeting, the superintendent said that linseed oil' in contact with almost any material would create spontaneous combustion. The time depended upon the material and the pressure. It might take two, six or 24 hours, according to the conditions. During his experience he had found numerous instances of linseed oil causing fires through spontaneous combustion. After Wingate's fire he made a special investigation and discovered that linseed oil and sawdust had been placed in a wooden barrel. He gave an instance of a fire, which was caused by the hood of a motor car cover being soaked in linseed oil to preserve it. It was placed on a petrol tin tripod and soon burst into flames. Every householder should be warned of the dangers of spontaneous combustion. Some years ago a pamphlet had been sent out and distributed among 20,000 residents pointing out fire dangers.