LACK OF WATER

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 51, 4 March 1929, Page 10

LACK OF WATER

A PETONE BLAZE

WEAKNESS OF SUPPLY

SHOWN

A CRITICAL POSITION

The biggest fire that Petone has had for many years occurred on Saturday evening in. Eiddler's crescent. It showed the great weakness of the borough water supply. Two seven-room-ed, one-story wooden houses Nos. 22 and 24, were completely burnt down. The furniture in the former was also destroyed, but that in No. 24 was removed. No. 22 was occupied by Mr. Hugh M'Caskill, and owned by Mrs. Gilmour, of Britannia street. Mr. W. Percy Crowther was the owner and occupier of No. 24.

The fire originated in the back -of Mr. M'Caskill's bouse shortly before 7 o'clock. There was some delay in. sounding the alarm, which was given by Mr. H. T. Peak, of 39, Biddler'.s crescent, at 7 o'clock. ■ The brigade, under Deputy-Superintendent Whiteber arrived quickly, but No. 22 was be-, yond saving. , The fire was carried to the- next .house by a light southerly wind, and the brigade made an attempt to save it, though from the- start it was seen to be a vain effort. Nothing could be done. With the water supply as weak as it was, the ,fire, starting at the back, .worked right through the house. A vacant section on I;he northern 1 side of No. 22 arrested the progress of the fire in that direction, and the brigade concentrated on saving the houses to the south.

The fire. occupied the attention of the brigade for about two hours, and as it could be seen all over the'valley, it attracted a great crowd. The Hutt road between tho two entrances to Riddler's crescent was lined on both sides with cars, as well as part of Victoria street and. the crescent itself up to a safe distance. In spite of the intense heat, many of the spectators gave valuable assistance in removing furniture and tearing down fences. NO CHANCE FROM START. Mr. H. Whitcher, who-in the absence of Superintendent Gaynor, was in. charge of the brigade, states that when the brigade arrived on the scene the flames were issuing from the- windows of the rear portion of No. 22, and it was at once scon that with water at a pressure of. between 23 and 251b the house wa3 doomed, and that efforts to save No. 24, towards / which the flames were driven by > the southerly wind, would be fruitless.

Mr. Whitcher states that it was pitiful to stand by with a fully-equipped fire-fighting plant and watch the places go up in smoke, all for want of water. Some time later the pressure went up to 1 401b as a result of his instructions to turn off the water cock 3in various parts of the borough. It was then possible to get a lead into the seat of the fire over some vacant land, from the liutt road, and also, to start the\engine pumps which up to then had been useless owing to the quantity of water in the mains being iMufficielit- to keep them going. It was this that saved No. 20, to the south.

The ■ pumps at the Gear Company's works were also requisitioned, arid a pressure of 701b put into the mains from- this source, ' but owing, Mr. Whitcher states, to ' the number of garden hoses in use this was hardly felt, at least for some time, though when the fire was well under control the pressure .rose ..foi\a\ time to'GOlb. GARDENERS SHARE THE BLAME. ■ Mr. Whitcher states that the brigade has strongly protested agahi3t the use of garden hoses at all until new mains are laid. He contends that had it not been for the garden hoses in use, the brigade would have saved No. 24. The fire engine was responsible for preventing the flames working'back to No. 20, of which the walls were scorched and windows broken. "Had a northerly wind beeii blowing," said Mr. Whitcheiy "I do not see how it would have been possible to save any of the houses in the area south of the fire, which is closely built upon; as it was, it was only the vacant section which .prevented the- fire- going further north. It is tho first time I have been with.the brigade when they have been unsuccessful in confining the fire to one house, but what could one do, apart from tearing down fences?, The water was quite useless. When we did start pumping it was half water and half air that was going through.'.' FIREMEN BURNED. Several of the firemen were burned, Fireman Davis so seriously that he will be laid up for at least a fortnight. The cause of the fire Was said- to be a faulty chip heater. f - \ A band of willing helpers, as soon as it was seen that No. 24 was doomed, cleared this house in a few minutes of all its furniture, including blinds, curtains, and floor coverings. A bystander remarked that it must have been tho quickest house-moving on record. No. 20 was also. stripped. It-is understood that No. 22 was insured for £550, and No. 24 for £900, and the furniture for £150. „ • THE MAYOR'S REQUEST. Regarding the lack of water-pres-sure to which the loss of Crowther's house was undoubtedly due, the Mayor (Mr. D. M'Kenzie) has issued an appeal to Petone citizens to refrain from using water on gardens either by hose or by can, during the period of shortage. Little to alleviate the present conditions can be done by the council until the sanction of the ratepayers has been obtained to start with the proposed reticulation work. ' If, at tho poll, in May, the loan is agreed to, work will first commence in tho thickly-populat-ed western area, where Saturday night's fire, and also one on Friday night, occurred. '