LOSSES BY FIRE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 236, 4 September 1929, Page 7

LOSSES BY FIRE.

FIGURES FOR PAST YEAR

REPORT ON BRIGADES.

(By Telegraph.—Special to Standard.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 3, The report on the firo brigades of the Dominion for the year ended 31st March last states that the fire loss throughout the fire districts for the twelve months amounted to £710,596. The four heaviest district losses occurred in Wellington (£294,070), Auckland (£74,958),, Dunedin (£42,775) and Christchurch (£39,166). Incendiarism is returned as the cause of 40 fires, involving a loss of £11,210, and 53 fires occurred in unoccupied buildings with a loss of £8683. Inspector Hugo states that the fire loss throughout New Zealand for the twelve months ended March 31, 1928, is estimated at £1,636,118, a conservative estimate, and it is a safe assumption that the actual loss exceeds the amount stated, This, with the population for that period estimated at 1,453.517, gives an average loss of 22/6 per head of population. The loss, in the 49 fire districts for the same twelve months period amounted to £683,082 which, with a population of 611,280 residing within the district, gives a per capita loss of 22/4, whilst the loss for the 842,237 persons resident in other than the fire districts amounted to £953,036, an average of 22/7 per capita. “Carelessness in regard to fire and its consequences,” he says, is too deeply ingrained to expect any radical reform in that respect in our - present adult population. One of the most effective means of reducing the prevailing excessive number of outbreaks of fire, and which at the present time is proving to be so iu the United States of America and Canada, is the compulsory teaching of fire prevention in our schools and colleges. Another effective means towards a reduction of our enormous fire waste is the installation of automatic protection in factories, emporiums, warehouses and other large commercial establishments. There are now installed in buildings throughout the 49 fire districts 45 auto-sprinkler installations and 142 auto-detector installations of various patterns, or 187 in all, only a tithe of what there should be. There are also 106 private manual fire alarms. These are call boxes of various patterns fixed inside the buildings connected bv direct wire with the local fire station and operated by switch or press buttons.”

HOW FIRES ARE CAUSED

DOMESTIC CARELESSNESS,

(By Telegraph. —Special to Standard.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 4. In regard to fires connected with domestic affairs, Inspector Hugo states that nearly all of them are due' to carelessness. Electric irons, kettles and cookers left switched on were responsible for 40 fires, with a loss of £34,540; children with matches and matches thrown down alight, 125 fires, with a loss of £36,993; cigarette butts and smoking, 68 fires, with a loss of £12,935; sparks from copper fires and fireplaces, 92 fires, with a loss of £12,746; live ashes thrown out, 32 fires, with a, loss of £11,293; gas rings and stoves, 26 fires, with a loss of £8103; airing clothes before the fire, 15 fires, with a loss of £4423; naked lights in proximity to benzine, 49 fires, with a loss of £2sob —a total of 447 fires, causing a loss amounting to £123,591. Practically all were due to carelessness in some form or degree.

CONFLAGRATION IN WORKSHOP,

FOUR MOTOR CARS DESTROYED

A destructive lire early this morning caused serious damage to brick premises in Rangitikei Street occupied by Mr G. H. Fist, motor car painter and upholsterer. The building, which is the property of Air A. Guy, was badly damaged, while four cars and the plant in the workshop were almost totally destroved. The other half of the building, used by Air C. J. McGrath, painter and upholsterer, was also slightly damaged. The alarm was given at 3.25 a.m. by a carrier, who was about to leave fqr Wellington. His lorry was parked in the yard, and when he went to get his vehicle he had great difficulty in clearing it from the flames, which already had a good hold. As soon as his lorry was in the street lie ran to the box on the corner of Featherston Street and gave the alarm. When the brigade arrived the fire had secured a good hold of Air Fitt’s workshop, so that both engines were utilised to prevent the fire spreading to Air AfcGrath’s premises, and in this they were fairly successful. The save was a good one as .the outbreak was well advanced before the alarm was given. Of the four cars in Air Fitt’s portion of the building one was his own property, and was uninsured. The damage to Air AlcGrath’s part of the building was slight, and the ten cars that it contained were only slightly affected by smoke and water. Although Mr Fitt’s stock and plant were insured, the amount not being available, it is anticipated that he will he a heavy loser. The cars damaged are covered by the owners’ private policies with the exception of Air Fitt’s.

Shortly before nine o’clock last evening the Fire Brigade was summoned to a chimney fire in Aforris Street.