Danger Of Theatre Fires

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30542, 10 September 1964, Page 18

Danger Of Theatre Fires

Disconnexion of a private fire alarm at the Odeon Theatre led to a discussion at the Christchurch Metropolitan Fire Board last evening, when members agreed that they should tell local bodies and theatre-owners of the fire risk in theatres. With the withdrawal of the Odeon Theatre there was only one theatre in Christchurch with a sprinkler system, said the chairman (Mr W. R. Campbell). “We have asked in the past that all theatres should have sprinklers and even suggested that smoking should not be permitted in the auditoriums or the foyers of theatres.” Hastily-stubbed-out cigarettes had caused many burns to theatre carpets in foyers, Mr Campbell said. It did not need much imagination to think what would happen if a fire began and smoke filtered through to the main theatre. “But we got nowhere,” he said of past representations. i“We were considered to be

very radical by the theatre operators and the City Council.” “We should take it up again, and vigorously, with the local bodies,” Mr N. G. Pickering said. j “But we can’t expect itheatre operators to spend thousands of pounds on sprinkler systems when they are all having dwindling audiences,” said Mr E. G. McGrath. It was over to the local authorities to enforce regulations, Mr A. A. Adcock said. If something happened and a life was lost the first scapegoat would be the Fire Board. Mr Campbell said. It had tried to point out the deficiencies in the past, and had not succeeded, but it could do so again. When Mr McGrath said there was no authority for local bodies to do anything, the Chief Fire Officer (Mr L. R. Osmond) said the Municipal Corporations Act gave authority for fire protection. Local authorities could ! bring down by-laws, Mr W. E. Olds said. The trouble was

that they had not done so. “This is a world-wide problem. We will be batting our heads against a brick wall,” Mr McGrath said. Mr Olds: All we need to do is draw the attention of local bodies to the fire risk that does exist. “Christchurch of ail cities should not need any reminder of what can happen,” Mr N. G. Pickering said. “We must point out the dangers and ask that action be taken.” Mr Osmond said that while a standard code of by-laws had been proposed, there were buildings being erected where it was desired to lessen the standards. “We pressed hard for something to be done at the Theatre Royal, but we were told that ‘My Fair Lady' was coming,” said Mr Campbell. “A temporary arrangement was made: but the position is that the Theatre Royal remains the same.” Mr Pickering: My fair lady must have had great powers of persuasion. Mr Campbell: She did on that occasion.