Quenching Incendiary Bombs

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23538, 16 January 1942, Page 4

Quenching Incendiary Bombs

It is unfortunate that the public should at this time have been thrown into some confusion about the methods of dealing with incendiary bombs; but the confusion will be brief and is already clearing. Until new instru ~ ons are issued, several facts should be borne in mind. First, the upset of previous opinions and advice is in no way damaging to the New Zealand authorities, who followed British information and instructions. On the contrary, it is clear that the New Zealand fire brigade superintendents and others were quick to follow up the suggestion, derived from Russian practice, apparently, that the British warning against the use of water in any form but a spray could be disregarded. They went on to prove this by experiments, which showed that a straight jet of water, far from being dangerous, quenched magnesiumthermite bombs in a few seconds, and that water “ in any form ” gave the quickest and best results against this type of bomb. In consequence, a conference of brigade superintendents decided to cancel previous instructions, to advocate the use of water, though approving the use of sand as a secondary measure, and to emphasise the imperative need to have fire guards posted in buildings for effective control of incendiaries. The only error, if it was an error, lay in announcing these decisions without taking the precaution of checking them first by telegraphic reference to London. Had that been done, the public would have been spared the doubts of an interval during which it has looked as if rash men in Wellington were defying experience in London. Second, this step has since been taken, and the Dominion Fire Controller has been enabled to report that the Ministry of Home Security now considers that the best way to quench a German magnes-ium-thermite bomb is to apply a jet of water from close range. Developments in New Zealand have, in fact, anticipated an announcement of this change by the Ministry. Third, sand is still to be regarded as a useful means of dealing with bombs that fall in the open or upon a non-in-flammable surface, such as concrete, and with the electron type of bomb, for example, among types other than magnesium-thermite, Since reports from Singapore indicate that the Japanese are using such other types, preparations to use sand ai e still necessary. Fourth, although this raises a question which few are at present able to answer- —how to tell one type from another and be sure what to do, accordingly—a little patience can, and should, be exercised. Rapid steps are being taken to prepare and circulate, through the post, amended instructions, based on the latest British information, the New Zealand experiments, and advice from Singapore. As much as there is to know will very soon.be known to everybody. But while there is still a little time to wait for that, the public has this present assurance, that it is already in a position of greater advantage than before. It had been told that jets and streams of water were not only useless but dangerous; it may now be confident that they can be safely and effectively used.