Spectators' Evidence At Fire Inquiry

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 March 1948, Page 3

Spectators ' Evidence At Fire Inquiry

(P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day Evidence by people who had come forward since the last sitting of the Royal Commission of inquiry into Eaiianiymfti: fire was taken this morning. James George Kruse, a truck driver, said that on emerging from Beath’s he saw a fire engine in Colombo street. He offered his services to a fireman and was told to wait till the officer returned. He went to shift his car. Flames were visible when he returned. He helped to take a lead to the southern end of Goodman’s building. Looking- up he heard screams and saw two girls.

‘ Kruse said a ladder was procured. He was the third up and he broke the. fall of the first girl, who was then thrown to a jumping not and taken to Baath’s. Heard Giris Screaming Leonard Checkley, an advertising designer, said that when he arrived at the scene about 4 p.rn. girls could be heard screaming. He thought the screaming came from girls inside the building in the upper storey and that it. was not necessarily from the two girls at the window. At no time had he seen more than two people on the verandah. Checkley suggested that it should be made compulsory for escape ladders or ropes to be stored in all buildings over two storeys. He identified Paul Molineaux as the. first man on the verandah, but he could not remember having seen Kruse there. Herbert Irvine Hurst, a tramway inspector, said that about 3.47 from a north-bound tram he saw a fire engine overshoot Colombo street, back into the street again and go to Ealiantyne’s. where he could see smoke coming from a window. The firemen, were met by Falkingham, whom he knew, and another man. One fireman went towards an alley with Falkingham. Two or three minutes later respirators were procured. Motorman Released Hurst then saw Falkingham going to the door of Goodman’s building, but, though there were firemen about, he- could not say whether anyone was with Falkingham. Flames appeared shortly aCtor. He saw water being played in a fir-1 floor window.

liurst said he took control of tiie tram to release the motormail lor fire fighting. Rescue Attempt

Horace Richmond Green, manager of the f’ttie Duchess Cake Kitchen, next to Congreve's building, said that Falkingham entered his shop about 3.45 to ask Brown and Armigers, who rented part of the shop, to remove their van in the street as a fire engine was coming. Green said that in the street Falkingham asked him to ring the brigade again. When he did so he was told the engines were on their way. Green described the attempt with an Ajax extension ladder to rescue two girls on the top floor of Goodman's building. The ladder, however, did not. reach them. There was a good deal of flame about. The"firemen eventually abandoned the ladder,! which dropped bad: against the building. When he resumed his evidence yesterday afternoon before the Royal Commission of inquiry' into Bafiantyne’s fire. Trevor Ernest Thomas, a sill: buyer, said hi' tlAiiight smoke was seen later Ihon 3.20 p.m. When he first sow smoke coming up the stairway, there were jusl wisps, and .lie considered it was a very minor mailer and did not call fc.r any action on his part. Conferences: of Staff Pie-examined about the stall' conference, the witness said that heads, of the departments were at the first, conference, about two days after the fire. Mr Novell (manager) opened this conference and he introduced Mr C. S. Thomas, and told the employees to speak frankly .and not to hold anything back. He could not recollect the names of all of those who spoke nt the conference. He heard some people at the meeting discussing Mr Novell’s statement that smoke was first seen at 3.20 p.m. and they considered that it was too early. But he could not remember _ any person, nt the meeting contradicting the lime,. There was a clock close to Novell's ( office. After the witness had discussed th? time with other employee... quite a few agreed with, him that Novell was wrong in his lime. Mr WatsorF (for the Crown):

Roughly, how many members did you talk to? —I would say half a dozen is near the mark.

Witness said the second conference took place a week to 10 days later and he thought that about 150 were present.

Ronald Ballantyne spoke about recommencement of work and the future of the business. There was no discussion on events at the fire.

Mr Watson: Was the subject of a possible fire and what you should do, ever discussed with you by any member of the management?—No. We had instructions on the need for care. Victor Stanley Appleyard, electrician employed by Ballantyne’s, who had given evidence earlier in the inquiry, was called by Mr Pi. A. Young for the Crown. He disagreed with the evidence of Thomas on the space between the lift cage and the sides of the well, estimating that there was a space of one foot to 15 inches on either side about three-quarters of an inch in front and perhaps two inches at the back. Mr Young: Was any bituminous material being used in Congreve’s building at the time of the fire — Witness: “None at all.” He added that a bituminous compound had been laid in other parts of the building not long before the fire. Switchboard on Ropes Witness said that the switchboard near the light, area, above the appro room, was suspended by two ropes from the coiling. The board, which was not. as big as a foot by eight inches, .served only the lighting on the first Hoot- of Congrevles’ building. He did not think that it was necessary' for a permit to remove the screws and suspend the switchboard by a rope. The wires were not disconnected, but the screws were taken out so that a new architrave could be put in. No heavy power line was being laid at Ballantyne’s at the time of the fire. The walls of the first floor in Congreve’s building were of Pinex on matchlining, with the exception of the partitions in the fitting room, which were 3x2 framing, with polished three-ply. It would take not more than a day to put in an archcitrave.

Mr Young: Why was it that the switchboard was suspended by a rope for a month? —I suppose that I did noi get round to putting it back. I was always kept extremely busy. I considered it was really safe—-abso-lutely no danger. Questioned by Mr Young about the first staff meeting, mentioned by Thomas, the witness said that he did not speak in connection with the time that the fire was discovered. He did not remember Novell saying anything about the time, and he had not discussed it with the witness Thomas.

Mr Young: What time was it that you first learned of the fire?—Some time after a quarter to four. “Strange” Conclusion

To Mr A. C. Perry (for three trade unions) the witness said' that when, he left the building, he did not form the impression that the fire had been caused by an electrical fault. He knew that both Donald and Rodger Ballantyne had formed that conclution, but he did not know why they should have. It seemed strange to him that they should. Mr Perry: Overloading of the cable would cause danger of fire? —Overloading of the cable could cause danger of fire, but if it was installed correctly, I don’t see 'any reason how it could create a lire. Had there been any suggestion of overloading of your electrical supply?—Most certainly not.

Had the work in recent years involved an increase in the use of clec.tricity?—lf any very little. No electrical work had been done on the switchboard. To Mr J. D. Hutchison < for the Fire Board): The switchboard was unfastened and was suspended by ropes on the day before the carpenter did the work on the architrave. If the rope had broken, the wires might not have held the board.

To Mr B. Twyneham (for the fire insurance underwriters), Appleyard said that the switchboard was about six foot from the floor. No workmen were working near the board. If the ropes holding the board had broken there was the possibility of a short circuit, but he would not agree that there was any possibility of fire. The commission, then adjourned until tomorrow.