FIRES AND FIRE ESCAPES. TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 156, 30 December 1898, Page 5

FIRES AND FIRE ESCAPES. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir— As a man who has had a lot of experience in fire brigade work, first in the Wellington Central Brigade under Captain Black and Captain Moss, and who was present when the fire extinguisher was used on the old reclaimed land about 28 years ago, I can testify to the good results of the same as mentioned by Mr Player in his letter last night ; and later as foreman of the Wanganui Brigade under Captain Cumings, and founder and captain of the Patea Fire Brigade, and Fire Inspector for the borough 1 may be allowed to make a few remarks re fire escapes, etci ■ I was not present afc the recent fire, and can only go by the evidence taken. I shall nofc refer to the brigade work, as I believe every fireman attending a fire goes into it heart and soul (and it is no easy work)/ and does his best, and it was no fault of theirs that the unfortunate gentlemen lost their lives. I saw a similar thing at another five. They lost their heads. lam convinced they had lots of time to get away if they had not done so. Travelling about as I have done between Wellington and Auckland, and all through the country districts, I may say that very few, if any, of the hotels are properly provided with fire escapes. Ropes are of no use. I will give you one instance that I saw myself. When the Dannevirke Hotel was burnt down it was well provided — ropes were placed in all the rooms. Two young girls got hold of the end of the ropes in their rooms and jumped instead of sliding : result — badly hurt. One poor old man was burnt to death. He lost his head. I' assisted to pick up his remains, which did not half fill a candle box. Jumping sheets are useless on a high building. The risk is very great as no one, unless practised, could jump clean. My suggestion is this : — Ever- proprietor of a hotel should be compelled to keep at least three sets of ladders from 30ft down to 12ft, fitted with sockets, and a good coil of rope, and when the ladders were coupled they oould be handed up and people saved. Even a woman could do this. There are always lots at a fire to assist, and the cost to hotelkeepers would not be much. Suppose this was done, a small coil of line fixed to a staple under each window would be a sure way of getting the ladder up, and this, with a fire escape to each story, would make all hotels very safe. Thanking you in. anticipation, I am, etc., William Dixon. Wellington, 24th December.