TIMARU MILL FIRE

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23300, 9 April 1941, Page 6

TIMARU MILL FIRE

FULL INQUIRY WANTED

“INADEQUATE STAFF AND PLANT” An allegation that only 42 per cent, of the regular personnel of the Timaru Fire Brigade was available to fight the recent fire, which seriously damaged J, R. Bruce and Co.’s flourmill at Timaru, was made by Mr K. W. Robinson, at the meeting of the Christchurch Fire Board last evening. Mr Robinson suggested that the conditions at the fire called for a full investigation. The superintendent of the Christchurch Fire Brigade, Mr A. Morrison, has been appointed controller for Canterbury and the West Coast of the Emergency Fire Service, and Mr Robinson mentioned the Timaru case when a report was received about the new service. “I feel that Mr Morrison should tell us whether wc could be placed in the same situation as the TimarU Fire Brigade,” he said. ‘‘There the brigade found itself reduced to 42 per cent, of its regular personnel, either because of holidays or for other reasons. The whole position was absolutely unsatisfactory. The fire broke out in a building entirely separated from the fourmill. 1 have seen photographs showing that the brigade had the fire confined to the original building. A non-pardpetted wall was the only weakness, between the two buildings. I have b£en told that the deputysuperintendent at the fire was asked to send a man up to the fifth floor of the mill, which was then not on fire. The deputy refused, saying that it would endanger life. The fire went up and over the parapet, to destroy the greater part of the mill. Ladder Sold “Now, under this Emergency Fire Service, one of the jobs of our superintendent will be to see, as far as possible, that the principle food-producing factories in his area are adequately protected.- This case would come under that category had the scheme been fully operative. In this case the way the fire was handled indicates inefficiency or quite insufficient plant. The only ladder the Timaru Brigade had possessed which would have got them up to the right position, had been sold for £5. The nozzle of the hose blew off a number of times. One of ■ the few firemen available was nearly swept off the ridge of the roof when he was holding the hose and the water was turned on. The fire hose was in a shocking state. I would like to say that this area was classed by the insurance firms as a ‘Class A’ area—the best type of area under fire protection. If it is possible in any part of Canterbury (in this brigade or in any other), for the brigade to get down to 42 per cent, of its personnel, then the affairs of such a brigade deserve the closest scrutiny. And it is the duty of the companies to bring such facts to the Emergency Fire Service conA’Oller. "

“There may have been an inquiry into the fire by the Internal Affairs Department,” Mr Robinson said. “If so, I have heard nothing about it, I have had it reported to me that the people handling the loss and the proprietors of the mill want a full inquiry to be made. I hope the outcome of this will be such an inquiry into a very unsatisfactory state of affairs in Timaru.”