Hotel fire-alarm system criticised

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32637, 19 June 1971, Page 15

Hotel fire-alarm system criticised

Strong criticism of the “deplorable” dearth of automatic fire alarm systems in central city hotels was expressed at the annual sitting of the Canterbury Licensing Committee in Christchurch. “The fact that there is only one hotel in the central city area that is fitted with an automatic fire alarm system (and this a relatively small building) is deplorable from the point of view of fire safety,” said Mr P. R. Griffiths, fire prevention officer to the Christchurch Metropolitan Fire Brigade. This was especially bad when one considered the age of the larger premises within the central city area. Manual fire alarm systems connected to the fire station was the minimum requirement for buildings, he said. Problems peculiar

“At present the safety of every occupant in these buildings (with manual alarm systems) depends on some person seeing the fire in its early stages, perhaps during the night and possibly in an out of the way place. Mr Griffiths quoted from the recent report of the Committee of Inquiry into fire safety in buildings for accommodation of the public, which said two factors peculiar to hotels were that residents were unfamiliar with the building, and may at the time of a fire be feeling to some degree the effects of liquor. The Licensing Control Commission’s Hotel Fire Code required manual fire alarms and emergency lighting

systems where there were more than six bedrooms above ground-floor level, but the Committee of Inquiry had “misgivings” on both of these provisions, Mr Griffiths quoted from the report.

“Our department cannot possibly stand by and allow this situation to continue. Therefore, in the interests of public safety we strongly urge adoption of all recommendations concerning fire alarm systems.” Advice to hotels The licensing committee would give immediate consideration to the report, said the chairman (Mr E. Si J. Crutchley, S.M.) at a special meeting to be held on July 12.

Licensees would be advised of the committee’s intentions and directions on the subject, and would 'be allowed to make submissions.

To a question from. Mr J. G. Leggat, he said evidence would be subject to normal cross examination. There would be no delay in renewal of licences because of the report. The recommendations on fire alarms involve 19 Christchurch hotels—lo to have automatic alann systems installed and nine to have existing manual systems upgraded and connected to the central fire station. Mr Griffiths’s recommendations and the comments of Mr Crutchley were the only parts of the annual sitting taken in public; submissions by counsel representing hotels were heard in chambers, as were reports from police and health inspectors.