FIRE ALARM IN P.O.S.B.

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30172, 2 July 1963, Page 11

FIRE ALARM IN P.O.S.B.

Confusion Over

Purpose A small fire in a rubbish receptacle in the basement of the Post Office Savings Bank, telephone exchange and engineering staff building in Hereford street, was put out before it caused any damage yesterday morning. The automatic fire alarm in the building sounded the call in the Headquarters fire station at 11.5 am. Three fire engines and the turntable ladder arrived outside the building at 11.7 a.m. and the fire was put out at 11.12 a.m. Meanwhile, the alarm bells in the building jangled. The staff in the building took no notice, and the public continued to come and go into the building until after the fire appliances arrived. Shortly after the arrival of the fire engines, cashiers began refusing service and instructed customers to leave the building.

The Chief Post Office, in Cathedral square, was due for an emergency evacuation service yesterday, it was explined later, and there had been some confusion over the scope of the test. The arrival of the fire appliances made staff in the savings bank realise it was a real alarm. The Post Office regional engineer <Mr L. D Bewley) said afterwards that the savings bank staff, under the misapprehension the alarm signalled a trial evacuation for the Chief Post Office, did not wish to inconvenience the public unnecessarily. Mr Bewley said that, because the telephone exchanges were a nerve centre, a two-stage firm alarm operated in the building, with the knowledge of the Christchurch Fire Brigade. The signal for complete and urgent evacuation of the building was sounded on a siren after the automatic alarm bells.