FIRE IN TELEPHONE EXCHANGE

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27405, 19 July 1954, Page 8

FIRE IN TELEPHONE EXCHANGE

RECTIFIER BURNT OUT A fire that started in a 500-amp rectifier supplying electric current to the huge batteries of the Christchurch central automatic telephone exchange yesterday afternoon, endangered equipment vital'to the continuance of telephone communications in Christchurch. The fire occurred in the power room of the central exchange in the Post Office building in Hereford street. An automatic alarm summoned the fire brigade at 4.10 p.m. and four units from the central station went to the fire. At first the firemen were hampered by dense smoke trapped in the confined concrete power room housing the rectifier and other valuable equipment. Within a short time the smoke was dispersed, and an assessment of the damage could be made. The rectifier, costing many hundreds of pounds, seems to be completely burnt out. It was a mass of disintegrated wiring and half-melted metal parts. Water dripped from the little machine that gives the busy signal during peak load periods, but it still clicked away busily. Nearby a switchboard

had also narrowly escaped da® It was lucky that the fire ouYAj during the week-end and noi a peak load period, said nor Tyrrell, of the Post and. Department, yesterday. enough smaller rectifiers to cwj the load on the batteries to another large rectifier woU J‘L l » ) j fe 4 be installed as soon as pos» ■ said. ’ i . in 5 A technician was 'power room all last night w that any further faults could 1 with immediately.