GUY FAWKES NIGHT

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 111, 6 November 1935, Page 10

GUY FAWKES NIGHT

BRIGADES KEPT BUSY

ELEVEN FIRES ATTENDED

In addition to providing sparkling entertainment for large numbers of youngsters, not to mention the adults who took part, last night's Guy Fawkes celebrations provided the professional five-fighters of the city and suburbs with a strenuous evening's work. Within the space of a couple of hours or so the fire brigades were called out to no fewer than eleven fires, all of which were ■ due to the fact that a bonfire had got out of control or that a firework, with misdirected energy, had ignited something in its path. It would certainly seem that Guy Fawkes celebrations which necessitate the turning out of the fire brigades eleven times in a couple of hours are reaching a stage that would justify some sort of restriction. That no serious damage was done by any of the conflagrations was. due more to the promptitude with which the brigades were on the scene when summoned and to .the absence of a high wind than to any particular care displayed by those responsible for the bonfires and firework displays. The brigades' work started at 7.39 p.m., by which time bonfires were burning merrily on many of the hills around the city, rockets streaking through the air and pops and bangs echoing from many a section.' At that hour the Northland brigade was called to a'gorse fire in Cooper Street Karori. At 8.3 p.m. a bonfire on Mount Victoria very decidedly needed the attentions.of the Constable Street engine, and a minute later the Brooklyn brigade was off to Mornington. At 8.11 a gorse fire in Heke Street, Ngaio was dealt with by the Khandallah brigade, and at 8.37 a similar outbreak in Creswick Terrace, Northland, had to be extinguished. At 8.40 some gorse near Victoria College (to burn which in an orthodox way permission had already been granted by the authorities) was ignited by fireworks. Two engines from Constable Street had at 8.48 p.m. a fence fire in Tasman and Coombe Streets to deal with, fireworks again being the cause of the outbreak. At 9.1 and again at 9.15 there were gorse fires, the first being in Kornington Road, Brooklyn, and the second in Brighton Street, Island Bay, which provided yet another outing for the Constable Street brigade. The two final calls before the celebrations terminated were at 9.34 p.m to Landcross Street, off Aro Street, and at 9.48 p.m. to Tinakori Hill.