Petone Fire Finding

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32280, 24 April 1970, Page 46

Petone Fire Finding

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 23. The foreman working on the Gear Meat Company’s new cold store at Petone, and the welder associated with the job which set off the fatal fire in the partially-com-pleted building on February 19. had not been aware that the polystyrene material used to insulate the ceiling was flammable, the Wellington Coroner (Mr J. Meltzer) said today.

The Coroner found that Kenneth Paul Simpson, aged 17, of Shannon, died in the fire, the cause of death being

asphyxia from carbon monoxide.

Before giving his finding the Coroner said the evidence disclosed that one sub-contrac-tor knew the material being used on the job was highly flammable. There had been a previous outbreak of fire from this material and an employee was aware it was flammable. Unfortunately the foreman had been on holiday at the time of the previous fire.

lan James Beavis, of Shannon, said he was a fitter and welder with Parker Products, sub-contractor on the cold store. They had been working off and on on the building since September, but had been off for about a month before the fire.

On Thursday, February 19, Mr Beavis and Mr Simpson were working in the building, which was covered in except

for the doorways. The ceiling was nearly finished and was insulated with polystyrene. Sealed columns supporting the ceiling and roof were also covered with polystyrene. About 8 a.m. Mr Beavis and Mr Simpson were working in the ceiling, near the manhole. Mr Beavis, who was welding, saw a small • flame coming from the side of one of the supporting columns. He tried to rub it out, but it flared up. He went down to get help and fire extinguishers. Mr Beavis said he did not see Mr Simpson come down from the ceiling and knew he was still up there. When the fire roared away no-one could have got up or down the steel ladder. Mr Beavis said he did not make a practice of having a fire extinguisher with him when he was welding and he did not take the precaution in this instance because he thought that polystyrene did not burn.

The foreman for the main contractors working on the building, Mr J. D. Anderson, said he was not aware of a previous fire caused by welding sparks in the polystyrene because he had been on leave when it occurred. He did not know that the polystyrene being used was flammable. Mr K. V. Snellson, insulation foreman on the job, said that because of the previous fire he took the precaution of having extinguishing equipment ready when his men were welding. But Mr Simpson was not employed by his company and had not been present when the previous fire occurred. He did not think his decision to take the precautions had been passed on to the other sub-contrac-tors.