SEACLIFF FIRE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 15, 19 January 1943, Page 4

SEACLIFF FIRE

EVIDENCE OF NURSES

NO MATCHES OR SMOKING

(P.A.) DUNEDIN. January 18. The evidence of nurses was taken when the Seacliff fire inquiry was resumed. The sub-matron, Annie Catherine Little, said that when she and two nurses visited the ward just after 8 p.m. nothing unusual was visible and the patients were all in bed. The mattresses were straw, covered with waterproof sheeting. The patients had no chance of obtaining matches, and witness had never known any to be found smoking in bed. Patients in this ward were assisted in dressing, which minimised the chance of concealing matches. Edna Ward, charge nurse, said that at about 9.45 on the night of the fire she was at the back of the ward and thought she smelt burning. She sent another nurse to investigate and went to ward 2 from which she saw ward 5 on fire. She set off the alarms. Going to the burning ward, she found it impossible to enter, and she helped to evacuate patients from other wards. Eileen McEvoy, nurse, said she had been told by a patient on the afternoon of December 8 that the radio was not functioning, and witness tried to adjust it, but did not succeed. She pulled out the plug and then reported the matter, according to practice. VISITS TO THE WARD. Gladys Yvonne Blythe, nurse, said that it was the duty of the night nurse to visit ward 5 hourly. At 9.20 p!m. witness went through the wooden por- < tion of ward 5, and there was no sign of fire or smell of smoke or of tobacco. Mavis McKenzie Boyd, nurse, said she began her observation round at 18 50 and was in Ward 5 for about five I minutes both upstairs and downstairs, making a proper inspection. All appeared to be in order. She left the wooden portion of the building approximately at 9, returning to her mess room till relieved by Nurse Blythe at 9.20. Witness went past the wooden portion of ward 5, but saw nothing unusual Kathleen Blackmore, office assistant, said that on returning from Seacliff township between 9.30 and 9.40 she passed ward 5 on her way to the j nurses' home. She saw nothing un--1 usual. A strong wind was blowing. Subsequently, she went to her bedroom. It was about 9.50 by her watch, and she had just got there when she heard the alarm. FIRE BRIGADE'S WORK. Arthur Driscoll, attendant at the hospital said he was captain of the fire brigade. When he observed the fire 'flames were right through the roof and the front portion was falling in. Witness tried the south-end door to see if he could get in to save anyone, but it was impossible because of the flames. He did not hear anyone calling out, b,ut observed a window where there were no flames. He pulled the grating off witti a hatchet and as he reached the woman who was inside her nightdress and bed jacket caught alight, but he brushed the flames out. The witness said he formed the opinion that there was no chance of saving the building and he concentrated his efforts on attempting to prevent the fire from spreading. At one istage there were four leads of hose on the fire, the pressure being about 501b a square inch. He considered that the equipment operated efficiently. Detective-Sergeant Gibson gave evidence of investigations carried out at the hospital. It was impossible to ascertain how or where the fire started, bje said. The most likely theory was that it was due to some electrical cause and to earth movements. Flickering of the lights and all the circumstances pointed that way. He had had the fullest co-operation and assistance from every member of the staff in carrying out his investigations. Mr. Adams: Was there anything to suggest that any member of the staff had been remiss in his or her duties? Witness: No. The suggestions were to the contrary. | WATER AND EQUIPMENT. j Leslie Roy Joseph Osmond, deputy superintendent of the Dunedin Metropolitan Fire Brigade, said he made an inspection of the fire appliances at the institution. The quantity of water available was only fair and its rate and pressure of delivery were not sufficient to give the hard-hitting jets so necessary where a fire of bigger proportions than an ordinary cottage fire developed. Witness said the alarm system, witfr the exception of the Vigilant portion, was not efficient, as it depended on the human element for operation. In the layout of the buildings there were numbers of distinct fire hazards, the witness continued. First there was the amount of wooden construction which, in an institution of that nature, naturally presented a distinct risk. That could also apply to the main building, because the interior was composed mostly of combustible material, though the exterior was of brick and plaster. The age of a, number of the buildings would be a factor in the event of fire. The nature of the occupancy of the buildings was also a problem, as it necessarily required the locking of practically all doors where the patients were of the more advanced type. At night time, locking of doors and shuttering of windows presented a most difficult problem, and one that had to be considered from all angles. There were some bad features in regard to, the direction in which some of the doors opened, and this applied specially to the theatre and to a number of corridors. Alternative means ■ of escape were fairly well provided for. The personnel of the brigade consisted of the officer in charge and all attendants who were able to leave their patients and assist. "This method of staffing the brigade is very chancey," witness said, "and does not tend to create efficiency." His inspection showed that the equipment was in fairly good condition. He considered the quality of the hose provided as not above second-class, while a quantity of it could only be graded third class. The equipment available and method of staffing the brigade could only be suitable for dealing with small and medium-sized fires. Mr. Adams: It might well be that even with additional equipment nothing could have been done to save j Ward 5 on this occasion? Witness: That is so. I would definitely recommend an automatic fire alarm system. If it were properly cared for, there should not be a great number of false alarms. i The commission adjourned till to-' morrow.