EXTINGUISHING FIRE BOMBS

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23536, 14 January 1942, Page 6

EXTINGUISHING FIRE BOMBS

WATER OR SAND METHOD STATEMENT BY DOMINION CONTROLLER (P.A.) WELLINGTON, January 13. A cable message received at Auckland from London yesterday outlining British methods of dealing with incendiary bombs and stating that to throw a bucket of water or play a jet on a fire-bomb was dangerous was the subject of a statement by Mr R. Girling Butcher, Dominion Fire Controller. Advice had been received from the Ministry of Home Security in Britain, he said, in reply to a cabled inquiry from the Government, that the quickest and most reliable method of extinguishing German kilogramme bombs was now considered to be a jet of water applied from close range. This scattered the burning magnesium which, however, was not likely to cause personal injury. , , “It is considered,” said Mr Butcher, "that whenever the extinction of a bomb is vital, this method should be used. Assuming that it is impossible to distinguish the offensive or bursting type from the ordinary bomb, extinction may be regarded as vital in all cases. This recommendation represents a definite modification of the instructions previously given by the British authorities with respect to this bomb. It has not yet been announced, but probably will be published in England very shortly.” . Mr Butcher said that the British authorities still recognised the value of sand under certain circumstances, and as it was probable that the Japanese would use alternative types of incendiary bombs, which could more satisfactorily be dealt with by sand, it was proposed to require the, provision or sand equipment on the basis previously recommended. “Within the next few days,” he added, “it is proposed to issue complete instructions about preparations to be made for dealing with incendiary bombs. These will be based on the latest information received from Britain. experiments carried out in New Zealand, and the latest information available of types of bombs used by the Japanese.” It was essential, concluded Mr Butcher, that the public, before criticising the arrangements made by responsible authorities, should await their decision and not base criticisms on English practice which was not altogether applicable to New Zealand because of the wooden type of construction so largely adopted here and the possibility of the enemy using alternative methods of incendiarism.