Three Grey Fire Engines Called On False Alarm

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 May 1949, Page 4

Three Grey Fire Engines Called On False Alarm

The three Greymouth fire, engines were called out shortly before 1 o’clock yesterday morning to a fire which did not exist. An alarm of fire stated to be at the railway “compound” settlement near the Elmer lane locomotive sheds, was telephoned to the Grey mouth telephone exchange at 0.50 a.m., and the alarm was immediately relayed to the three fire stations, the Central, High street and Cobden, which dispatched engines, and to firemen in various parts of the town. It is understood that the alarm was made from the telephone in the railway yard, but this is usually locked. When it was found that the brigade had been summoned on a false alarm, investigations were commenced by the Greymouth police.

Malicious false alarms, which are a fairly common occurrence in the larger centres, where the offence is viewed very seriously by the courts, are comparatively rare at Greymouth, and it is many years since one was made here.