FIRE INQUIRY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 59, 10 March 1945, Page 7

FIRE INQUIRY

ARMY STORES BLAZE GUARD SERGEANTS' EVIDENCE P.A. PALMERSTON N., Friday. The coroner's inquiry into the circumstances of the fire at the Show Grounds camp on the night of December 31, when a huge quantity of army stores was destroyed, was adjourned this afternoon until March 22 after a number of witnesses had been heard. Mr. H. P. Lawry, S.M., presided. Detective F. Quin conducted the proceedings on behalf of the police, and Mr. R. H. Cooper appeared for the Army Department. Mr. J. P. Innes watched proceedings on behalf of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, owner of the buildings.

Captain W. S. Keegan, officer commanding the ordnance depot, said that two nightwatchmen were maintained in the ordnance store, one being on duty at a time. The fire equipment in the store consisted of buckets, bucket pumps, hoses and extinguishers. In the store were tools, spare parts and expended stores. The other part of the area (No. 3) consisted of camp fittings, crockery, etc. In area No. 4 there was practically every type of army stores required.

Witness said he was not in camp on the night of the fire, being on leave. Register Destroyed In reply to Mr. Cooper, witness detailed the nightwatchman's hours and duties. A register was kept recording times of inspection and any unusual occurrences. The register was destroyed in the fire, in addition to routine orders. The non-commis-sioned officer on duty kept a check on the nightwatchman. The latter was on duty in the store which was kept locked. To obtain admission the officer on duty had to ring a bell. He could not get in if the nightwatchman was not there.

The stores were stacked to order, witness continued. Inflammable goods generally were in heaps. In addition, non-inflammable goods were used to form fire breaks. This had been approved by the superintendent of the fire brigade, whose advice was always sought. Under the advice of the superintendent every possible precaution was taken against fire, and his recommendations adopted. In reply to Mr. Copper, Captain Keegan said there was no danger of oil soakage setting up spontaneous combustion. There was a day by day inspection. Smoking was absolutely prohibited. To witness' knowledge this was observed. To the coroner, witness said there was no petrol in the store. It would not have been practicable to shift the volatile stores to the section occupied by the motor transport unit on the other side of the camp.

Sergeant W. C. Luffman, senior non-commissioned officer of the showgrounds guard, said he was on duty on the evening of December 31. About 9.30 he patrolled and saw nothing wrong. At 10.30 p.m. when on another patrol he found the bottom of a copper in the men's cookhouse red hot. A piece of wood on the wall had been ignited and the gas under the copper was alight. The wood which was glowing was on a corrugated iron wall and was used to hold a canopy over the coppers. Witness turned off the gas, went to the main gate and instructed Private Wagstaff to accompany him to the men's cookhouse. They took a stirrup pump to the men's kitchen and directed a stream of water on the burning timber. They were satisfied they put out the fire. Officer Not Informed Witness said he tried to get in touch with the ordnance nightwatchman, but did not receive a reply on the telephone. Witness did not notify an officer in the camp—Lieutenant Smith, who was the railway transport officer—nor the fire brigade, as he was fully satisfied the fire was out. Witness went on another tour of inspection and got back to the main gate about 11.35. Private Wagstaff and Private Collins, the latter being the ordnance night, watchman, were there. Witness instructed Collins to make a tour of the ordnance area and told him to examine the wall opposite where the fire had been. Collins left immediately to make the inspection. Witness said that he went back to the kitchen, and conditions there were normal. Satisfied that all was well, he went back to the guardhouse, reaching there about 11.50 or 11.55. Collins reached there at the same time and reported everything correct on the ordnance side of the wall. Neither witness, Wagstaff nor Collins had had any liquor. All three were capable of doing their duty efficiently. Sergeant Luffman continued that he went outside the guard hut and saw a glow in the sky near the ordnance depot. He was not sure if it was from the ordnance, but he rushed into the guardhouse and telephoned the fire brigade. Witness received no reply. There were two alarms in the camp connected with the fire station, these being of the street alarm type. They were both out of order. Collins and Wagstaff vanished from the guardi-oom when witness shouted "Fire!" Thinking he might have dialled the wrong number, witness dialled again, and when doing so he heard the siren of the fire engine coming. One engine came at first, going to the fire, which was just beyond the cookhouse. Witness had no idea of the cause of the fire. He did not connect it with the previous outbreak. . .

After further evidence the inquiry was adjourned until March 22.