UNDERGROUND FIRES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21457, 3 April 1933, Page 10

UNDERGROUND FIRES

CHILD SEVERELY BURNED COLLAPSE OF THE SURFACE SEYMOUR PARK' PHENOMENON Underground peat fires in Seymour Park, Mount Roskill, were the causo of an unusual accident on Saturday morning to a four-year-old boy, Kay Lee, whoso parents live in Acorn Street, Mount Koskill. The boy was riding his trfrycle over a grassy patch a considerable distanco from where outbreaks of peat fires had occurred several days before. Suddenly the surface of the ground collapsed and ho fell into a hole about 2ft. deep, surrounded by smouldering peat. A passerby ran to help him, but before ho could bo extricated the boy had received severe burns about the arms, legs and thighs. It was not necessary to admit him to the Auckland Hospital. Tlio danger from peat fires has been realised for somo time. Occasionally, when a rubbish fire has been started, the deep peat deposits under tho surface have become ignited, the fire thus started being particularly difficult to extinguish. Tho Mount Koskill Fire Brigade has in the past found that holes oft. deep have been burnt. The smouldering fire can spread over a wide area without any signs of its extent being shown on the grassy surface. "When a weight is placed on tho thin layer of earth and vegetation, however, it immediately collapses, exposing the burning peat below. Sometimes tho only way to prevent tho firo from spreading is to trench around tho area affected until the clay substratum is reached. In most of Seymour Park tho peat layer is sft. or 6ft. thick. On Saturday tho brigade was called shortly after tho existence of tho (ire had been made known, and was able to extinguish the outbreak by completely flooding tho area.