SERIOUS FIRE BRIGADE ACCIDENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13996, 31 August 1907, Page 14

SERIOUS FIRE BRIGADE ACCIDENTS

: OFFICER AND SIX MEN INJURED,

A lIORSE DISEMBOWLED,

MOTOR ENGINE DRIVES THROUGH A WINDOW.'

The breaking of a street fire alarm at the corncr of Flinders lano and-Russell street, ■ Melbourne, at 8.28 p.m. on tho 12th iriet., resulted in., a. disaster the like of which had not occurred in fire brigade experience in Melbourne. The alarm which caused all tho trouble v.-as a false one, perpetrated supposedly ljy somo larrikins, and this more than anything of the kind which has previously happened -makes it plain that no penally can be too severe as a. fitting punishment for persons who see humour in mischief of this description. The position of the fire alarm broken was of sncli importance that. Deputy Chief Officer Tjco turnod out. a strong "force of mou and appliances, tho latter of a motor pump, 7notor chemical engine, house chemical engine, Jadflor carriage, ajitl salvago van. Deputy Chief Officer Lee got away first with the motor chemical, and went, along Evelyn 6treet to Spring street, followed by the horse chemical. The motor pump (lashed out of the station along Gis--Ijomo street, followed by tlio rest of tho plant, and both 'sections converged upon cadi- other at tho corner of Spring amiCollins streets, where the clamour created by the ringing of bolls and t.hc spectacle of flashing helmets and brass work and galloping horses drew tho attention of crowds of people. Mr Led, in tlio motor, just shaved a tram, which fortunately came lo a frtandstill in time, and continued 'down Collins street. The horse chemical followed, but in turning, Negro, the offside horse, stumbled, and, falling against. Titan, threw him out of his stride, and veered him southward. Tho ponderous vohiclo swayed after tho staggering horses, which were then almost on tho telegraph post, rendering the impact inevitable. The pole snapped in tlio .sudden turn, and the liorsc Negro struck tlio post with tremendous forco with his olfside (lank, and was to all intents and' purposes torn asunder and disembowelled. Tho poor brute had his off -hind quarter torn almost off, and his intestines lay about the lavement, Tho driver, Robert Archibald, and 'Fireman J. Davis beside him, wero flung on to tho foot-path, cud two firemen— Ilargrave and S. Barker—in tho body of tho vehicle wero thrown tip against tho box seat with great violence. Third Officer Wilkins and Firoman Creevy, on the footboard behind, wore thrown inside the vehicle, and tlio qngino crashed up against t.ho post, breaking the forc-oarriage and twisting up tho ironwork. A great crowd quickly collected, and for a timo all w;is confusion. Tho horse Negro Jay disembowelled and groaning in agony in the gutter, with a flood of. blood running away from him, and the firemen wero lying about dazed. Some l body rang for an ambulance, but before it came the injured men were removed to Dr I 1 rod. Bird's private hospital, Spring street. Here it was found that Third Ofl'icer Wilkins had his right shoulder disDriver Archibald had shock and concussion, Fireman Davis was shaken a,nd bruised, and Fireman Hargrave had broken a blood-vossol in the leg, while Firemen Barker and Creevy had escaped with a shaking and' bruises. As eoon as Officer Wilkins had his shoulder pulled into place ho returned to look after the horses and vehicle. He that the horse Negro was beyond' help, and requested a constable to shoot - it. The constable had no revolver, and seemed indisposed to inako any effort to get one, so at last, after quite inexcusable dolav, a fireman, taking an axe from the vehicle, killed the poor animal-with repeated blows of that weapon. Bystanders expressed strong indignation at the delay that was allowed to take place in killing tho animal, though thero wero several constables amongst the crowd. Tho next misadventure happened to the motor jjußrp in Flinders la.no, near Elizabeth islTeet. This had been sent down by Mr Leo to locato the. fire, awl whilo passing tho office of Joseph Pickles and Boris, where a. building fe in course of construction, it ran over some blocks of stone which were lying. right- in the middlo of the rood. The collision hoisted the forccarriage to the left, and tlio motor rail',in on tho fcotnath and through tho window of Mossre Lister and Co.'s wine and spirit.store. The driver, Robert 8011, put on tlio brakes as soon as . tho motor struck tho stones, and Viienian Jiaokay applied the side brake, but there \vaa sufficient \yay on the eiipine to fake it through the window, where it smashed up about a dozen -bottles of brandy. , The driver was pitched head first into the recessed doorway, but his helmet saved him from injury. None of the other four men was unseated. Tho motor was firmly wedded in tho window and was quite unworkable. It remained there for hours/surrounded by a curious crowd of people, who floated ail kinds of rumours abroad about the men -having been killed and injured, Late at night,' badly- damaged, it was drawn awav by. horses from the head station.

Deputy Chief Officer Leo had not actually witnessed cither of tho smashes, but,' surmising that, something had happened to tho horse chemical,' had, after sending tho motor pump on towards Elizabeth street,- turned back to look for tho horse, cliomital, and wa-5 amazed to find it a miri and one horse (lead. The damaged horso chemical onßine was taken back to tho station, and arrangements made to replace tho disabled vehicles.