TO COMBAT FIRES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 613, 16 September 1909, Page 11

TO COMBAT FIRES.

AN EXPERIENCED OFFICER'S VIEWS.' (By Tclecrapb.—Special Oorraßoondaat I - • i , 'Auckland, September 14. _ Saperintcndcnt .Woolley, of; the . Aucklanc lure iirigade, holds some pronounced views 01 :he defects, of some . buildingsfrom the ".fire lghtmgfpomt of view. • Speaking.to a-roriortor ae .pointed out that;.there ; were TKrby-lawi ieahng with the.;closing of goods and passen :er-lifts. after business' hours, and he advocatoc ;hat the . opening,- ,on each floor, should 1 b< loverod by a frame of wood, sheatkd with tii ir iron, or other .non-inflammable material.'H( specially. condemned '■ the: type of lift linet ihroughout with; matchwood to feed the flames rom-floor to-floor. : 1 ■. ■ .. ' "In; a . few-minutes," he said, "one of thes< "Hidings becomes' a 'monstrous fire-spreader ihreatdnmg all the buildings in the vicinity md: nothing short of submerging it" has am iffect. f. The: supporting: of internal structure; >y iron'.columns-is 'another : danger. '■ Thea iolnmns. are calculated .to- sustain the : weigh if. the building at normal temperatures, bu lot at ■ • conflagration temperatures. Conse luently, in-a firo, ~they give .way, and floo: ifter floor collapses. ; This - method of con •tructing buildings'has meant a serious loss o the:insurance.companies, and, until build ngs aio erected of more indestructible mate ials,. insurance will be a . very unsafe busi less in Xew, Zealand.: Some'risks'l considelazardqus at 10-per cent., per annum. By-lav 0 provides that , the partitions in shops, ware louses, and. othdr business premises (excep lotels and public-houses) may: be. in wood, o food; and l glass; provided special permission i ;ranted. • This opens a loophole for the erec ion;ofi-wooden"partitions, which, : instead o icting as a stop, simply'make a bonfire. Onest I know of showed the relative merits o ath'.'and: plaster,wife-lathing, and- brick- a lartitiona for . fii;e prevention. The fire was o no hour's duration.' . It broke out througl he . lath and plaster: in. 28 minutes; througl he wire-lathing in 40 minutes, but not at ill hrongh tlje brick. - This city has been buil f the cheapest and. handiest materials; am he buildings' can be destroyed :in as. man' ninntes -as it, took days to .build them. ■ Thi fill , continuo as .long, as the firo;'risks 'are a t present. " -' " 1 would strongly recommend that the follow ng. precautions should. be enforced(l) Tha II lift 'openings throughout buildings shouli o covered with non-inflammable materials; (2 11 partitions in warehouses and business place liould bo of brick; stone, or concrete; (3) al upporting iron, columns should bo fire-proofei l' brick, stone, or. concrete j (1) all floors ii ny building of threo floors and upwards shoni o fireproof. . '