FIRE RISK OF BUILDING

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25428, 26 February 1948, Page 8

FIRE RISK OF BUILDING

Did you sum up the building as a good or dangerous fire risk? —I am afraid I don’t remember. If I gave any opinion now, it would be influenced by these proceedings. At the time, I think it was no worse than many other large retail stores in the city. Would you put them in the category of dangerous fire risks? —Yes. I think they would be. So going to the fire, you would class it as a dangerous fire risk? —Yes. On arrival, he ordered the crew to prepare a delivery. No instructions about respirators or masks were given. He jumped off the machine and ran to the entrance of the right-of-way. He did not see any grill gates. Two civilians were standing, one on and one just off the footpath; they might have neen a Mr Ballantyne and Mr Falkingham. One man said: “It’s in the cellar. A cable’s fused,” and pointed to the right-of-way. He still could not recognise the man, as he did not take sufficient notice of him. He did not see anybody follow him up the alley, and had no conversation with anyone there. He ran into the alley to try to locate the entrance to the cellar. No one had told him the entrance was there: but the man had pointed to the alley and he assumed he would find it there. He expected to find the entrance more towards the end of the alley. As he got the entrance of the alley, the smoke was issuing from the alley on to the footpath. It was black, was not so heavy as it was further in. and was thicker at the top. He could see eight or 10 feet up from the pavement. He did not see any doors halfway up. Dense Smoke in Alley “I went into the alley to make a quick survey to locate the cellar entrance and found the smoke too thick to be able to see. I realised respirators would be required to penetrate any distance into the right-of-way. I was about 10 to 15 feet in when I came to that decision. I turned round and ran back out of the alley towards the machine to a point six feet away from it. I did not observe whether the other machine had arrived. The branchman was coming round the machine with a delivery in his hand, and I ordered him to put on the Roberts. I got an officer’s lamp and took out three gas masks from the locker and ran back towards the entrance of the right-of-way. I cannot recollect seeing the civilians there. I put two of the masks tnd the lamp on the ground just inside the entrance. I put one on, and the assistant branchman. Fireman Todd, also put one on. The branchman put on the Roberts and went into the Iley with me. I saw, through the smoke. Mr Burrows coming towards the alley. As we went up the alley, the smoke was very dense and visibility was nil after a few feet. I was carrying a small hand electric lamp and it was unable to penetrate the smoke. 'The smoke was not noticeably

thicker than on the first journey. The branchman was on my right and I left him to feel the wall while I took the centre of the alley. We were both down on our hands and knees. No civilian accompanied us. to my knowledge. Mr Burrows would be behind me. Reached Alley End “I am certain I explored the whole of the alley—that is, I got to the end of it. I have only since heard of the doors half-way up. I do not remember coming up against a pair of closed doers half-way up. Mr Watson: Evidence given is that the smoke was slight out the doors bui denser further in? —After we had gene in a few feet it was dense. My idea is that the dobr was open on the right-hand side and formed no obstruction to the branchman and myself crawling forward.

Mr Burrows spoke of encountering bicycles on the right-hand side? —I did encounter some bicycles. They were in many places. Did you tell the branchman or assistant branchman to look for the entrance to the cellar? —I took it that the branchman knew we would be looking for the entrance. It was my job to locate the entrance and to guide him

in. He was on the northern wall. Did you ask him to look for the entrance 9 —No. But if he came across it, he would naturally take it. Thump on Door “We went up the right-of-way on hands and knees exploring it for the entrance and expecting something in the nature of a trap-door in the floor or a door off the right-of-way into the cellar. I had no idea I would find the entrance at the end of the right-of-way and I went looking for traps, to protect my crew. I came up against a blank wall. The smoke was dense and visibility was nil. The wall cduld not have been the double gates. I fell round the walls and felt what I took to be a wooden door. It was not opened. I realised there must be an opening for the smoke to come into the alley. I may hav kicked the door. I would certainly thump It. I did not try to make an opening in the door. I know now that a door on the right gave access to the shop and down to the cellar. Cellar Entrance Not Found Mr Watson: What explanation do you give for all three of you failing to find the door? —So far as I know, there is no suggestion that we failed to find the door. What we failed to find was the extrance to the cellar. Did you find the door in the righthand wall?—Yes. as I have described it. Did you at any stage see a woman employee of Ballantyne’s at the entrance to the alleyway when you arrived?—No.