Fire Brigadesmen’s Evidence At Inquiry

Northern Advocate, 16 March 1948, Page 2

Fire Brigadesmen’s Evidence At Inquiry

CHRISTCHURCH, Tue. (P.A.)—The evidence of the first members of the Christchurch Fire Brigade to arrive at Ballantyne’s fire was continued before the Royal Commission of Inquiry today. Station Officer Thomas George Oakman said he had “never seen anything like the rapidity with which the flames spread.”

The flames appeared to be more dangerous on the first floor than on the ground floor.

While he and another fireman were playing a lead of hose there were two other firemen idle at the salvage van.

He was quite satisfied that while he was on the lead his superior officer would look after the other leads. He was not aware at any time that girls were at ihe windows in Goodman’s Building, or that they might be trapped. He had seen girls at the windows in Pratt’s' Building. No civilian had drawn his attention to the trapped girls. INCESSANT SCREAMING Oakman said incessant screaming by people in the street had drawn his attention to the* girls in Pratt’s Building. The smoke was thick but intermittent. He continued to operate his lead and did not attempt a rescue. The crowd urged the girls to jump and one girl did. He saw a fireman and civilians on the verandah. Oakman said that he had an intermittent view of the rescue of Mr Ken Ballantyne. He had seen a figure surrounded by flames at a window. Two leads from Colombo Street and two leads from Cashel Street were played on him to keep the flames at bay. In cross-examination, Oakman agreed with the . evidence of Officer Burrowes that if he had known that the fire had been smouldering for some time he would have approached it more warily. The majority of buildings of a size comparable with Ballantyne's in Christchurch had fire alarm systems. He had seen a gas jet burning under the flooring of the ground floor of Congreve’s Building. It was an ordinary household jet and was two or three feet below the floor. ANSWERING PHONE Reginald Royce Barson, second-class fireman, who was ordered by the officer, Burrows, to give the brigade call, said there was some delay in answering the telephone. “I was in Colombo Street when Burrows gave me the order,” he said. “I waited a moment for someone to take over the branch. That would be less than a minute. I went into a chemist’s shop about half a chain away. “I asked if I could use the phone and he showed me where it was. I rang the brigade number and I v/as not answered immediately. I was just going to ring again when I was answered.” Mr Young: Was it a minute? Witness: I could not say. QUESTION OF TRAINING Thomas George Oakman, junior station officer, said he had had 12 years’ experience with the Christchurch Fire Brigade. He hod been an officer for about a year. There was no regular course of lectures before he became an officer. The superintendent and, he thought, Burrows gave a course of lectures which ended about 12 months ago. There was no special training for men' becoming officers. When he was appointed officer a few firemen had more service. Witness said he went to Ballantyne's on the No. 1 machine. He had never received instructions as to who was in bharge of the fire when the senior officers were on other duties, but regarded himself as in charge of operations while Burrows and Stevenson were away in other parts of the building. He did not hear Burrows give any orders before he left the machine. (Proceeding)