FIRE PROTECTION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22612, 15 April 1948, Page 6

FIRE PROTECTION

COMPULSION URGED LOCAL BODY POWERS DESIGN OF BUILDINGS ;(P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, April 14. There was no suggestion that any local authority had told Ballantyne's that the openings in their buildings should have been protected though they could have have been protected, said Percy Claude Cornish. Works Department architect, in cross-examination before the fire inquiry commission. The proper local authority should have power to require such protection. Such power was long overdue. Events had proven the undesirability of such things being left to the judgment of individual owners Witness said that modern practice with lifts was to have them in a completeiv enclosed shaft Standard Not Met Elsewhere Mr. C. S. Thomas, for the accident underwriters: Do you know any store of the size of Ballantynes that meets the standard you set out in your main evidence? Witness: No.

The automatic alarm system at Ballantyne’s would probably have resulted in the fire brigade having been notified of the outbreak 10 or 15 minutes earlier. That would have allowed ample time for the cash and documents to have been put away and for everyone to have collected their belongings and walked out. said witness.

There was an urgent need for the universal adoption throughout New Zea'and of a standard code of building by-laws covering not only the construction of new buildings but also the adaption of the principles of such codes to existing buildings, said Victor Robert John Hearn, architect in the Works Department, Christchurch. With the completion of the New Zealand Standard Institute's code of building by-laws a comnlete unified by-law would be available. To Replace Local By-laws

Witness said: “In my opinion steps should be taken to ensure that all local bodies are bound to adopt a standard code in lieu of their local .by-laws as to buildings and fire prevention.” Referring to existing buildings, witness said the onus should be on the owner to make his building conform to modern standards of human safety. If complete compliance was impossible, provision should be made for relaxation of the strict terms of the building code only on condition that a sprinkler or similar fire prevention system was installed. If non-compliance was caused by the shortage of steel or other materials, the position of sub-standard buildings should be reviewed from year to year as the supply position changed, he added The latest trend in retail and departmental stores was to have large open spaces for display, and large interior staircases and escalators giving a commanding view of interior displays. There were many examples of shops built 40 to 50 years ago—Ballantyne’s was one —which were remodelled to the detriment of the original buildings. Sacrificing Fire Safety “The attempt to modernise old store buildings can well lead_ to sacrificing lire safety to effective display and the apparent convenience of the customer,” he continued. Witness said that the chief fire risks in Ballantyne’s were the thoroughly seasoned bone-dry timber floors, timber partitions and ceilings dry match lining, numerous wood fibre boards, lack of firebreaks in the roofs, and open windows. A list of building permits issued by the City Council since 1903 for work at Ballantyne's was produced by witness, who said that it would appear that considerable work was done without written authority—in particular, several of the large openings between the buildings. . TT , , When the chairman. Sir Harold Johnston, asked Mr T. P. Cleary, counsel for Ballantyne’s, whether he agreed with the list of permits, Mr. Cleary replied that there were certain cases in which the firm could not credit that a permit was not granted,, but in some others it was agreed that no permits were issued. The 'commission adjourned until today. .