FIREMAN’S DEATH

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 April 1939, Page 12

FIREMAN’S DEATH

CROWD CRITICSED LONDON, March 7. Criticism of members of a crowd to whom police appealed in vain to hold the wheels of a fire escape in a high wind was made by the East Sussex coroner. He was conducting an inquest on Fireman Fred Mace, aged 43, of Vale Road, Seaford, who was fatally injured when the escape, being used as a water-tower, crashed while he was playing a hose from the top of it at a Seaford cinema fire. “I am not happy about the conduct of the crowd that showed such lack of enthusiasm in not responding to the appeals to come forward to hold the wheels of the fire escape,” said the coroner.

“It is a sad reflection on the mentality of such people that they should keep out of danger while an individual showed such splendid bravery as did this man who died a hero’s death.” John Henry Reeves, chief officer of Seaford volunteer fire brigade, said that a terrific gale of wind swung the escape round and it crashed into the street with Mace pinned beneath.

He had been told by the police that there was no response to their appeals for volunteers to man the wheels of the escape. While he agreed that the escape was old, being constructed in 1910, it was quite safe. The jury said that while they were agreed that the brigade did everything they could, they were of the ipinion that the fire escape was both inadequate and obsolete. Thej r considered that the widow should be given a pension equal to the wages earned by her husband. Returning a verdict of accidental death, the coroner said the town had “every reason to be proud of this man, who was one of many brave men who risk their lives to save life and property of others.”