‘PREMISES DOOMED’

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22571, 26 February 1948, Page 6

‘PREMISES DOOMED’

ALIGHT IN WALLS LADDERS AVAILABLE FIREMAN CROSS-EXAMINED (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH. Fob. 25. Further information about the Christchurch Fire Brigade’s attack on Bnllantync’s fire was given by Third Officer James Thomas Burrows yesterday in cross-examination. Mr. C S Thomas, for the underwriters: You realise you were the experts and Bailantyne's were not exI ports in fires? Witness: That would be so. "As part of your duty under the Act : is to save lives, wasn’t there a clear duty upon you to give any warning, if necessary, to Bailantyne's to dear their premises?—if necessary. Should Have Been There “Yet don't you think the electric extension ladder should have gone with you?—Yes. “Did you lake any steps when you first came out of Congreve’s right-of-way and saw that the ladder had not arrived to have the electric ladder sent I for immediately?—No. '“Did you make any inquiries of I Roger Eallantync as to access to the I cellars, or whether the cellars were I inter-connected?—No. ; “You knew he was there, to ass-'sl l you?—lie was standing there, j “You did not warn Roger Ballantyne ot ihe seriousness or the necessity for evacuation after you left the right-of-way when you had been unable to find the door?—No. “You went on with the idea of smashing the window of Congreve’s building? —Yes. It would have been preferable to have put a lead through to the ground door of Congreve's building instead of the first door but I tried to save the damage of breaking the window. No Evacuation Order “When you put out a brigade call did you notify anybody in Bailantyne’s that they would have to evacuate?—No. “Don’t you think the duty was or. you as an experienced fireman to notify them? —When the lire broke out it did so with such magnitude that it was too | late to .go and inform anybody. Every- | body knew we had a major fire on our | hands. I

“It. was too late to make a full evacuation? —I presumed the building had been evacuated by thai time. “How long were Officer Stevenson and Fireman Thompson in the right-of-way?—Seven or eight minutes. “Do you know of anything those two firemen did in the right-of-way in those minutes?—No, I do not."

If the guttering of the veranda was solid enough it should provide a good footing for a ladder, said Third Officer Burrows after studying photographs. He did not know of a better-built veranda in Christchurch.

Mr. Thomas: According to the architects the height from the gutter line of the veranda on Pratt’s building to the windows on the second floor is 21ft 3in. Had you ladders available that would have reached from the gutter line to the window?—Yes. Other measurements Given

“The measurement from the gutter line of Goodman’s building to the window on the third flood was 34ft. Had you ladders that /ould reach that height?—No. not carried on the appliances.

“But if a ladder was used from the ridge of the veranda you would have a ladder that would reach 28ft? —Yes. “It appears that men were moving about on the ground door of Goodman’s building until just after 4 o'clock. Can you see any reason why your firemen were unable to make an investigation with respirators?—They could have done so.

“You know now that if the barest investigation had been made an opening through to Congreve’s building on the ground floor must have been found? — It would have been found. “If that opening had been found It would have been a perfectly simple thing to find the hottest spot and put a hole through to the "ellar, and you could have put your spray through and the probabilities are that it would have remained a cellar fire? —Yes.” Evacuation Called For

Answering Mr. W. R. Lascelles, for the City Council, witness agreed that when smoke was coming from the right-of-way and when an alternative access had not been found evacuation was called for. Witness said the brigade's electric ladder was of the same type as that at Wellington. The Auckland ladder was older tnd that at Dunedin newer. Mr. E. D. Blundell, for the fire underwriters: If the first call had been a brigade call and had ' con acted upon promptly ns the general call was, do you still think you could not have prevented the spread of the fire? Witness: I don’t think we could have located that fire in time to save the budding. “Have you ever had a fire which developed as rapidly as this one did? — never.” Mr. G. G. G. Watson, for the Crown, re-examining: You said the fire had achieved a stage that Ballantyne's building was doomed when you got there? Witness: That is mv opinion. Fire in Linings and Floor “Your opinion is that no effort of the brigade could save the building from ultimate destruction? —The fire was well established in the linings and floor joists. It would have been difficult to save. “So you say the whole building was doomed? —I would not say the whole building. It was on 'he way." "But if that was so, you must have taken immediate steps <o rescue people? suggested the chairman. Sir Harold Johnston Witness said he had since formed that oninion. The chairman: Had you any doubt at all but that the gentleman who took you 'o the goods lift was the man in authority?" Witness: I did not know he was tne man in authority. I thought lie was ail employee "Was it. not your duty and common sense to ask him to show you someone in authority?—Yes. “And you failed to do it?—Yes.”