LIMITED FIRE APPLIANCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16037, 14 August 1916, Page 9

LIMITED FIRE APPLIANCES.

JOOD WORK BY CAMP POLICE.

[BY TF.-I.FJ.KXrU. OWN" CORRESPONDENT.]

WELLINGTON, Sunday.

The first outbreak of fire at Trentham camp took place in the paint shop, which, with other stores, was quickly destroyed, The first alarm of fire was sounded by the camp bugler at 11.30 a.m.. and almost at the same moment flames and heavy black smoke burst through the roof and sides of the paint shop, a galvanised iron building, with roof of the same material over felt and sacking. Y\ hen the alarm was sounded Assistant-

Camp Adjutant Luck ham at once seized a tire-extinguishing apparatus, and endeavoured to reach the seat of the outbreak. But the fumes of the burning paint and oil almost overcame him, and it was some time before he fully recovered. The camp police, who are trained hretighters, were no less prompt in running out the manual fire engine, and starting to pump a supply from" the underground tank. With only one lead available— though the pressure was good —it was impossible to confine the tire, and the box store ajid saddler's shop were soon enveloped. The best that could be done was to isolate that particular block of buildings and this the camp police succeeded in doing, although the camp staffofficers' mess was destroyed with most of its contents. The latter loss will have to be borne by the staff officers themselves.

There was no wind at the time and the smoke rose in a straight column with scarcely any sparks. This fact is considered of importance in view of the second outbreak.

The second outbreak occurred in the supply store, a large lofty building adjoining the railway station, with a verandah for unloading goods under cover. As in the case of the outbreak in the morning, volumes of smoke burst through the walls immediately the alarm was was given. Men who had passed the building but a few minutes previously were astonished on turning round at the sound of the alarm to see flames and smoke pouring out at the western end of the large shop, where chaff, straw, and other fodder were stored. The building was divided by a partition, and in the eastern half clothing and other equipment were saved. The saving of the contents of this half of the store reflects credit on the camp police. By this time a light southerly breeze had sprung up, which made more difficult the task of coping with the fire that at one time threatened a number of smaller offices and stores in the vicinity.

It happened that Trentham was also empty of soldiers when the fires took place, as in accordance with the suggestion of Surgeon-General Henderson, director of medical services, that the camp should have a week's rest for fumigation purposes, the nineteenth infantry reinforcements had left for Featherston at half-past six o'clock this morning. Consequently only the sixteenth infantry engineers and officers and ioncommissioned officers of future drafts, with the headquarters staff, were in camp. The number of civilians in the camp was also smaller than usual.