FIRE INQUIRY

Grey River Argus, 27 May 1938, Page 9

FIRE INQUIRY

BRIGADE’S DEMAND

Taken up by Labour Federation

J Per Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, May 26. The Canterbury District Council of the New Zealand Federation of Labour has announced its intention of pressing, in the interests of the firemen, for a public inquiry into Monday morning’s fire, and the related questions. This was announced, in a further statement maae by the Council’s chairman, Mr. J. Roberts. “Six men, who were at the station, but whose leave did not expire until 8 a m., reported for duty at 6.45 a.m. at the Central Fire Station on the morning of Mac Duff’s fire, and, although told that there was an out break in the city, they were not given orders to proceed to the , fire, ’ said the Secretary of the Fire Brigade Union, Mr. W. H. Mathieson, on behalf of the men in reply to a statement by Mr. T. M. Charters, Chairman of the Fire Board. The reply added that the six Bngadesmen mentioned —an officer and five men—were on the Station premises when the call was received at 2.47 a.m., but, as no emergency alarm was given, they did not report until 6.45 a.m. Mr. W. H. Mathieson said that at no time had the staff exceeded fifty in number. At the present time, the total strength of the staff was 47. Three men had left the service, and they had not so far been replaced. Kir, Charters had made the following statement: "But for the provisions of the present award for firemen, probably about half a dozen extra men could have been called out.” “Mr. Charters also stated that extra men would have been of considerable assistance if they had been available. To-day, however, Mr. Charters said that, in actual fact, the number on duty was sufficient, which was a direct contradiction of his previous statement.

“As general practice, when a big fire occurs, an emergency alarm is given after the general alarm, to summon all of the remaining firemen to report for duty, as was the case with the recent fire at Weston Bros., added Mr. Mathieson. “Why, then, was not the emergency alarm given before? At 6.45 a.m., it is the usual practice to sound three short rings on the general alarm to notify the men to parade for duty, but, on the morning of the fire at Mac Duff’s, six rings on the alarm were given, this being unusual. All of the men on the station reported at the watchroom for duty. They included one officer and five men, whose leave did not expire until 8 a.m. The men were told that there was an outbreak in the city, but no orders had been given for the men to proceed to the fire. The officer and the five men were on the Station premises when the call was received at 2.47 а. but, as no emergency alarm was given, the men did not report until б. a.m. When the general alarm for the Weston Bros.’ fire was given, no day leave men on the station answered, but an emergency alarm was given about one hour later, and all of tfie day leave men on the station responded to the alarm.’’ “As Mr. Charters states," said Mr. Mathieson, "there were sufficient men at the fire. Why were three policemen pressed into service to help tc operate the extension ladder between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m., and a Sergeant of Police directing a hose from Colombo Street on to the State Theatre building?”