INQUIRY ON FIRE

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29801, 18 April 1962, Page 10

INQUIRY ON FIRE

Attendance By Press (N.Z. Press Association) DUNEDIN. April 17. The Chief Fire Officer in Dunedin (Mr F. A. Hardy), took the unusual steps today of inviting the press to the fire brigade’s domestic inquiry this morning into last night’s Returned Services’ Association fire. Such inquiries are routine after fires but the press had not before attended. The move appeared to be intended to improve relations between the press and the Metropolitan Fire Board. There have been 13 major fires in the last 10 years. Reporters heard fire officers outline the operations undertaken after receipt of the first call. The attack on the fire was followed through in detail with the aid of a plan of the R.S.A. building, scale models of appliances and chalk marks for hose lines. Ventilation Ducts ft appeared from the inquiry that the only surprising feature about the fire was the discovery of big air ventilation ducts which helped the fire to spread. One officer, called to investigate a roaring noise in the roof, reported that two air ducts—one carrying hot air from the building and the other drawing air from outside —were causing a blowtorch effect. It was this apparently, which led to the collapse of the roof at the rear of the building. Mr Hardy told the inquiry that although he knew the building very well he. did not know of the air conditioning ducts. He had been extremely surprised to see the roof collapse.