FIREMAN’S VISIT TO BUILDING

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25445, 17 March 1948, Page 6

FIREMAN’S VISIT TO BUILDING

A civilian who offered to show the brigade “another way to the cellar” was not seen after Fireman Dobson put on a respirator and Fireman Dobson was inside the entrance to Goodman’s building—the furnishing department—only a few seconds, said ThirdClass Fireman W. H. Stockwell.

Fireman Stockwell said his experience was five months when Ballantyne’s fire occurred. He was on No. 1 motor and was standing by when a civilian at the back of No. 11 motor beckoned to 'him. Fireman Thompson came out of the alleyway and asked for a Roberts, which was taken from No. 11 motor. Fireman Todd blundered out of the alley looking “pretty sick.” The smoke was thick and dense in the alley. He met another civilian, who said he could show them another entrance to the cellar. Fireman Dobson was fitted with a respirator, but the civilian had disappeared. Fireman Dobson went into an alcove; inside the smoke was thick. He identified, from the model of the buildings, the alcove as the entrance, to Goodman’s building. Witness held the door open and Fireman Dobson went in and returned in a matter of seconds. •

Mr R. A. Xoupg (for the Crown): What had made you go to this door into Goodman’s building^—l don’t know. We were not directed there by anybody. 1 While he was helping to ptit up a ladder, he saw two girls at the upper windows of Pratt’s building calling

for help ahd going from window to window with handkerchiefs over their mouths, said Fireman Stockwell. He did not see any girls in Goodman’s building. He helped with the jumping sheet in the rescue of the two girls. To Mr Cleary: The civilian who spnke of knowing “another way in” was in a blue suit and spoke to Fireman Dobson and him. When he went into Goodman’s entrance, Fireman Dobson was not accompanied by a civilian.

Interference By Civilians “There was a good deal of well-in-tentioned interference with operations by the public ’’ said Fireman Stockwell, to Mr Barrer. When the girls were being rescued, a man holding the jumping sheet collapsed; tijat was one of many incidents. When he took the jumping sheet from No. V motor, his intention was to take it on the veranda, but people grabbed it from his hands, said witness to Mr C. G. Penlington (for the Fire Board). He saw at least four persons- on the veranda. To Mr W. R. Lascelles (for -the City Council): He understood it was because of smoke that Fireman Dobson came out of Goodman’s building, and that he meant smoke when he said he could not see anything. Mr Young: Do you suggest there was any interference between the time you arrived at the fire at '3.48 and the rescue of the girls?—The interference began when the girls were sighted in Pratt’s building.