BALLANTYNE’S FIRE INQUIRY

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25444, 16 March 1948, Page 6

BALLANTYNE’S FIRE INQUIRY

Development In Alleyway Evidence FIREMEN’S RESCUE EFFORTS DESCRIBED Evidence that he had met Fireman J. M. Thompson, the branchman, groping his way out of the alley inside the double doors and that the branchman had said he “could not find it” . —meaning the fire or the entrance to the cellar—was given by Second Class Fireman H. A. Campbell before the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Ballantyne’s fire yesterday. The evidence was a new development as Fireman Thompson and Officer C. E. W. Stevenson had earlier given evidence that they were at the opening leading into the shop and the cellar stairway, and Fireman Thompson had said he had left the opening when he heard a “woof, 7 ’ saw » flash and felt a rush of hot air. Another development was the evidence of Fireman Campbell that he had not tried to reach the ledge of the upper window in Goodman’s building because flames were out of Oie first floor through the ladder. Third Officer T. G. Oakman, said he would be in charge in the absence of his two superior officers, although nd such instruction had been given him in training or in brigade orders. He said that while Officer J. T. Burrows was inside the building with Mr Roger Ballantyne and Officer Stevenson was in the alleyway he had done nothing on the Colombo street front. When the smoke increased, he saw no necessity, he said, to investigate any part of the building, as Officer Burrows was in the building and his duty was to stand by his motor. Delay in leaving to put through the order for a brigade call and further delay in the station receiving the call by telephone were described by Second Class Fireman R. R. Barson, who said that he had not seen any girls in the building, although he was standing by No. 1 engine outside Beath’s. There would have been no difficulty whatever in rescuing girls from Goodman’s building if rescue efforts had been made when the .first engine drove up to the fire, said Fireman Campbell.