REPORT OF CONVERSATIONS

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

REPORT OF CONVERSATIONS

When Mr Falkingham’s evidence of conversations and movements with a fireman in the alley before a respirator was obtained were read to him by Mr Watson. Officer Stevenson said that all he could saj was that he was not the person concerned. Miss Drake’s evidence on Mr Falkingham and the “first man off the engine” going up the alley way was read. “I just can’t understand it,” witness replied. “Our actions were observable to anyone standing on the footpath and the commands could be heard as they were given in a loud voice. The double doors have been described in evidence as tight fitting. I am satisfied that from the volume of smoke issuing from the mouth of the alley way the doors must have been open.” The evidence of Mr Roger Ballantyne that on the first visit to the alley the fireman must have been at the door as he was only three feet away, and that he was trying to describe to the fireman where the door was, was read to Officer Stevenson. Conflict of Statements “Can you reconcile that statement with either of your statements?” asked Mr Watson. “Not with mine,” replied witness. “There i§ a possibility they might have been mistaken. Other firemen were there.” Do you know of any member of your brigade who says he went up the alley accompanied by Mr Falkingham or Mr Ballantyne?—No. It was you who looked for the entrance to the cellar?—Yes. If these three witnesses refer to a fireman looking for the entrance, it must have been you?—They might have been mistaken. In fairness to the other witnesses, I can only assume they may have spoken to others or heard the orders among the firemen. There might be some conflict as to whether they are speaking of the right-of-way or the entrance to Goodman’s building. At such a time of crisis, I think it is possible for anyone to be mistaken in placing events

in their correct order. You appreciate that the three of them speak definitely of being in and going up and down the alley and speak of the doors in the alley?—Yes. I appreciate that but I can’t reconcile it with my own observations. It may have happened before the brigade arrived.

Now, now; surely! They all speak of the appearance of the brigade?—l am sorry—those are my comments. Opening in Wall

Continuing his narrative after finding the door, Officer Stevenson • said he decided to speak to the branchman to see if he had found anything and to join company. He was then out of touch, and it was a responsibility to keep contact in a fire He crawled back and came in contact wjth the hose. He turned and crawled up the hose, towards the branchman, whom he had missed on his way down. All work in smoke was done by experienced firemen by instinct- they knew what the other was doing. The hose was charged with water. He had at that stage not given up his idea of finding the entrance to the cellar and had not given any thought as to what he would do if ne could not find it. He found the branchman in a crouching position and sensed, rather than knew, that he had some kind of opening. He reached over and felt the opening in the wall. He assumed that was the opening of the cellar he was looking for. He then cautiously groped forward a little way and felt inside the opening on the floor, expecting to feel either a stairway, a sloping ramp, or something of that nature. The opening was wide enough for two persons to be side by side. With a little squeezing both could probably have crawled through together. “I felt the floor and it was level. I then cautiously groped forward a little way feeling the floor to my left. The floor was still level and as far as I can remember, it seemed there was a wall on the left-hand side.” Mr Watson: Did you at this time, think you had found the entrance to the cellar?—Yes. when I came to the

opening. Now 1 began to get puzzled. Have you mentioned, prior to today, the discovery of what you purport to be the entrance to the cellar? —Yes.

To whom?—To the man to whom 1 made my statement in tne first place. I would like it to be understood that when my statement was made I had no idea it would be used in connexion with any inquiry. No doubt you know that the brief of what each officer would say was submitted from the Fire Board to the Crown representative?—No. That is not strictly correct. I knew they would hand in the statement I originally made to a member of the Fire Board, and I pointed out that what was in the statement missed out a lot of detail. “We progressed a considerable way down the right-of-way but we were unable to find the cellar entrance,” read a statement by Officer. Stevenson quoted by Mr Watson “After spending some time trying to find the entrance, I decided to withdraw, with the intention of conferring with the branchman about our further movements. There were other firemen .in the right-of-way At this stage I heard a loud roar and, going into the street and taking off my mask, I saw flames and realised there was a major fir*»

Mr Watson: There is no reference in that statement to your finding an opening which you thought was the opening to the cellar? Witness: No; but I can explain it. When the statement was taken from me by a member of the Fire Board, I was not aware it would be required for any Commission of Inquiry. I was told it was only required for the information of the Fire Board's officers, and when I attempted to describe, and did describe, my movements in the right-of-way he told me there was no need for a lot of details and that all they wanted was a brief statement. He said: “Did you get into the cellar and find it.” I said: “No.” He asked: “How far did get?” I said I was pretty sure to the end, and he agreed I had got a considerable distance. The detail was not given in that statement. “Did you make any subsequent statement to the Fire Board’s solicitors?” asked Mr Watson. Officer Stevenson:* Yes. Don’t you think it was a very important matter to rfcention if you had passed the entrance?—l did mention my movements all through. He agreed it “would take several pages to set down all the details, and said, “We will briefly summarise what you did.” I assumed he knew better than I did what they wanted. If I had known before the statement was wanted for this inquiry, I would certainly have insisted on giving more detail. But you knew that whatever statement you made would be handed over to the Crown representative as a statement of your evidence? —No. When did you Iparn that? —When I did know, I pointed out to the Fire Board’s counsel that the weakness would be that it should have more details. which I am covering now. Direct Access to Cellar Expected What decided you that this was not the entrance to the cellar?—l did not exactly decide it was not the entrance to the cellar; but I was puzzled that it was not a direct access to the cellar, which I expected it to be. When did you" make up your mind it was not the entrance to the cellar? —When I had explored inside the doorway, and found the floor to be level. The chairman (Sir Harold Johnston): The door was open?—Yes. “As I know now. if I had turned to my right I would have gone down the stairway,” said Officer Stevenson. “The whole atmosphere in the right-of-way was particularly warm, but not more than you would expect working in dense smoke and under a mask. It seemed to be hotter in the doorway. What made me decide to go outside was that I was working ; under smoke, and was becoming ex--1 hausted. I decided to go out with the intention of conferring with the ■ branchman and planning new lines of 1 attack or getting more information as ’ to how to get in.” ,