Fire Destroys Camp Building

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31168, 19 September 1966, Page 1

Fire Destroys Camp Building

The sick bay building at the St. John Ambulance Brigade camp at Waddington, near Sheffield, was destroyed by fire in the early hours of yesterday.

The flames were seen by a man in Sheffield at about 6.30 a.m. and he notified the Sheffield Volunteer Fire Brigade.

About the same time, a woman living near the camp also saw the fire and went to the camp where about 30 Boy Scouts from the Waimairi district were spending the weekend. They were being given Instruction in first aid by two officers of the brigade. The woman aroused the occupants of the camp, who were unaware of the fire. The 10ft by 30ft wooden building was well alight by the time the brigade arrived and all the firemen could do was to prevent the flames from snreading to nearby trees. No other buildings were endangered. It is believed that the fire had been smouldering for some time and reached flashpoint before it was discovered. The cause is unknown.

The building was originally used as the doubles totalisator at the New Brighton racecourse.

The Christchurch Corps supervisor of the St. John Ambulance Brigade (Mr G H Dunloni the damage between f ir >o and £son lari evening Manv hours of voluntary labour had been snent in reno’-et'ng painting the building which con-

tained first aid and medical equipment, bedding, an electric water heater and other articles, he said. Mr Dunlop said that a spare room at the camp would be used as a sick bay until a new building could be provided.