THEATRE FIRE.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18871, 10 December 1926, Page 13

THEATRE FIRE.

WAS ELECTRICITY THE CAUSE ?

REPORTS OF POWER BOARD'S OFFICERS.

[THE PEESS Special Service] AUCKLAND, December 9. Tho suggestion that the blowing out of a fuso was tho cause of tho recent lire at the Opera House has been the subject of investigation by tho Auckland Electric Power Board, and reports on tho matter have been made by tho general manager and tho supply engineer.

The general manager (Mr 11. H. Bartlcy) states that very careful investigation has been made by the Board a inspectors, and as a result he is of the opinion that only by the largest stretch of imagination could one definitely say that tho lire had its origin in sonic fault in the e.ectrieal installation. Tho fact that scene painting work was in progress at tho time opened up avenues other than electricity as tho means of starting tho fire. . ■ . Tho supply engineer (Mr J!,. Hutchinson) ' lias reported to the general manager that there were no means of telling what was tho cause of tho fire. The fire occurred after the evening performance was over, when the electrical load was reduced, and it would seem reasonable to assume that if the fuses were going to blow, they would do so when tho load was at the maximum. The fir'o did not start at the switchboard, and tho circuits that were alight were abovo the stago and well up in the air. .There was no evidence whatever of faulty electrical wiring. In reply to tho statements by the Power Board's officers, tho general manager in - New Zealand for John Fuller and Sons (Mr W. Burton) said that although tho Power Board was not blamed, he was certain that the fire was electrical in origin, and that tho starting point was on the No. 2 border —a string of lights suspended horizontally above the stage.,. Mr W. Diamond, . scenic artist, was working on the stage at tho timo of tho outbreak. Ho heard a noiso above him and was burned by falling embers. The artist was not using spirits at the time, most of the work being done in water colours. In conclusion, Mr Burton considers that the fire was au unforeseen happening. There was no fault on the part of°tho Power Board's inspectors, and he believes that tho wiring in tho theatre would have passed any tests and inspections on the night of tho firo.