SEACLIFF FIRE

Grey River Argus, 5 June 1943, Page 6

SEACLIFF FIRE

Commission’s Report DANGER DUE TO BUILDING'S DESIGN, WELLINGTON, June 4. The report by the Royal Commission on''the fire at Seacliff Mental Hospital in December last, was presented' to the House bv Mr. Nordmeyer this morning. The . Commission stated it was of the opinion that the fire hazard danger was due to the original design of the building which did not make proper provision for protection from fire. When the alarm was given the system functioned well and must have been tn good order, and the evidence showed it was regularly inspected and tested. The fire brigade was efficiently trained and ..acted effectively, and in the opinion of the Commission was entitled to .great nraise for the manner in which it restricted the fire to Ward! 5. All members of the staff also displayed coolness, resource and excellent organisation in removing patients from the dangerous areas. Fire-fighting appliances were adequate, but the water pressure was insufficient to combat a major fire. The shortage of staff, common to al mental hospitals, the Commission considered, had led to inadequate supervision of all patients at all times. X Provision for supervision during the day was adequate, but the number of nurses available could not provide adequate supervision in all wards by night. It was unfortunate that a nurse was not on duty at all times ini Ward 5 at night. There was no evidence of any dereliction of duty, or of the cause of the fire.

On the question of reducing ' fire hazards in mental hospitals, the Commission stated the views of all expert witnesses was that the wards should be of one storey, built on the villa system. Apart ’ from reducing fire hazards this would have obvious advantages in other respects. The Commission was of the opinion that where possible new wards of buildings should be of fire-resisting material, and spaced to prevent the spread of fire. Where it was necessary to lock patients in rooms, it should be possible to instal an emergency exit opening from the outside.

The Commission was of the very definite opinion that no manual system of fire alarm could be adequate, and that a modern alarm recording system, preferably an automatic sprinkler, should be installed throughout. Seacliff and similar institutions. In addition, a suitable employee, not a nursing attendant, should be appointed in charge of the fire brigade to organise and supervise all duties, and be responsible for the maintenance of all equipment. He should be attached for fourteen days each year to the nearest city fire brigade to undergo training and receive experience. Mr. Nordmeyer, in a comment on the report of the Committee, said it could not be denied that Ward 5 was a dangerous fire risk, as it was a wooden two-storeyed building erected about 1908. Units for 50 patients, as part of the villa system erected elsewhere, were single-storey, had ample exit, and were spaced thirty to fifty yards apart, with adequate fire prevention equipment. These buildings were perfectly satisfactory. The Government was determined that at the earliest possible moment, old unsatisfactory buildings would be replaced. He mentioned the Porirua Hospital, recently badly damaged by earthquake, was to be completely replaced by villas. The question of installing automatic. alarm and sprinkler systems in all mental hospitals was being investigated, and the svstem of staff training in fi«* prevention, as recommended by the Committee, would be put into force immediately. The Minister said that although the number of patients who had to be locked in rooms was becoming fewer, this matter still. presented great difficulty. as some would always have to be locked in. Consideration would be given to the possibility of providing emergency. (Loors. In conclusion, the Minister referred to the staffing difficulties and to steps now bein taken to direct suitable persons to this work.