BURNS' FIRE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 279, 25 November 1941, Page 8

BURNS' FIRE

TRAPPED ON ROOF

ARRIVAL OF BRIGADE

EVIDENCE OF BROKEN PLUG

The statement that he had telephoned the brigade three times at short intervals and the third time said, "For God's sake send the big escape ladder, some of the staff are trapped on the roof." was given by Horace Netland Hewson at the commission of inquiry into all matters connected with the fire at the premises of John Burns and Company. Limited, which opened at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Witness said he was the manager of the ship's chandlery department, and added that after he had telephoned the second time he went out into Customs Street and saw that one engine had arrived.

Mr. F. K. Hunt presides at the inquiry and there is a strong array of counsel representing interested parties.

Hector Gordon Johnston, clerk, said that on the afternoon before tnc fire he was shifting some ledgers in a trolley when the trolley came into contact with a plug connecting up with a Burroughs adding machine. One of the three prongs of the was broken off.

Stanley Henry Sweet, office boy. said he was with Johnston when the latter broke the plug. Next morning witness reported the incident and was told to get the electrician, Mr. Campbell, to fix it. Witness got Ompbell and the latter was using ;• screwdriver in the plug when witness saw a sudden blue flash, and Campbell jumped back. He told witness to go upstairs and see if he could get another plug. Witness was about half-way up the stairs to the second floor when the lights went out, and Frank Lees, a clerk. met him and said there was a fire at the { switchboard on the ground floor Witness went to the ground floor and saw Delanev. the cleaner, on a ladder poking at the fire alarm .n the ceiling with a mop stick. Witness went out into Customs Streets and the fire engine arrived about half a minute later. It would be about a minute after he first saw the fire until the brigade arrived. To Mr. North: When the engine arrived the firemen quickly ran the hose out. Switchboard on Fire Frederick Charles Pearson, ledger supervisor, said he was in his office on the first floor when he heard Frank Lees, a clerk, shout. "Where's the electrician? The whole of the switchboard is on tire.*' Witness described how he placed the ledgers outside and subsequently saw both MeWhirter and Baker on the verandah. To Mr. North (for the Fire Board): He did not hear people warning one another not to use water on the switchboard. To Mr. Reed (John Burns and Company), witness said he did not hear anyone tell Delaney 'the cleaner) not to use the hose. When witness saw Baker on the verandah he appeared to be calm and collected.

To Mr. Hunt: Witness had been wi:h the arm about 20 years. The staff had not had any instructions in fire drill or what to do in a case of fire.

Margaret Jean Cox. invoice clerk, sr.id she went upstairs to get the electrician, and as she passed the s\\ itchboard she noticed black smoke coming from it. Rowenn Doris Wood. Burroughs machinist, said the light on her machine went out immediately after a blue flash came out from the switchboard. Witness was certain that when the electrician. Mr. Campbell. was working on the plug the power was not switched off. To Mr. I. .J. Goldstine (for the Queensland Insurance Company): Witness thought that the blue flash came from the point of the screwdriver as the electrician was using it. Liftman's Experience Thomas Blackwood Alexander, assistant storeman. said that at 8.20 a.m. on the morning of the fire he was working the lift and was on the down trip from the top to the ground floor when he neara a report like that made by a shot-gun. The lift seemed to hesitate for a second and then proceeded on to the ground floor. On opening the lift door witness could see flames at the back of the switchboard. He went to each floor and called out that the place was on fire. After reaching the top floor he was prevented from returning by the stairwav because the place was full of smoke.

"I then got a ladder and with other employees on the top floor passed through a trap door on to the roof. Someone tore down the aerial wire and lowered it down to the verandah where a rope was tied to it and hauled up. A loop was then made in the rope and we all descended to the roof of the crockerv department.

Not as Loud as Shot-gun Frank Lees, dispatch clerk, said he was three or four feet from the switchboard waiting for the lift when he saw a reflection of a fla<h and heard a report practically simultaneously. He would not sav that the report was as loud as a shot-gun Witness called out to a boy to turn the water on. He played the water on to the fire in the ceiling on the first floor. Although an order had been given not to play the water on the switchboard ne knew that the master .switch had been turned off. The fire was practically subdued on the first floor. To Mr. Meredith (counsel assisting commission): Witness said that he had never seen any notice indicating that there was a hose near the switchboard. To Mr. Goldstine: Witness did not play the water on the switchboard. "Brigade Arrived Quickly" Wallis Cedric Parrish, senior assistant at John Burns, said the main switchboard was in his office on the ground floor. The board which was about Bft bv Bft and 4ft Gin or 3ft from the floor, had a glass cover. There was a small recess close by containing a fire hose. Minor blowouts had occurred to the switchboard at an average of everv two or three months, but he had not known of any fire there prior to August 19. When witness saw flame at the back of the switchboard he immediately went to Mr. Morgan's office and turned off the master switch which connected up the alarm system, and this he turned on also, but it had alreadv been disconnected. It would be half a minute at the most between the timehe first saw the fire and the calling up of the brigade. In his opinion the brigade arrived in very quick tiir.s. I The hearing of evidence is proceeding.