FIRE BRIGADE ACCIDENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17317, 17 May 1918, Page 4

FIRE BRIGADE ACCIDENT.

FOREMAN ROBERT BAXTER KILLED. TWO OTHER FIREMEN INJURED.

Thoso misguided individuals who, in tho exercise of a distorted sense of humour, send false alarms to tho City Fire Station havo always a good deal to answer for in tho annoyance and inconvenience they cause to tho brigade, but never Ixiforc last night lias a tragic result attended their senseless action. Foreman Robert Baxter w . na . killed through the overturning of ono of the motor engines at tho corner of Cumberland and Stuart streets, and two other iireinen were badly injured. At 10.26 p.m. tho brigado received a call from the box at tho corner of Stuart and Albert With their customary despatch, two of tho motors at onco left tho station No. 1, tho largo machine, under the of Deputy-superintendent Salmon, and No. 7 in charge of Foreman Murray. lhe latter, which got away a few seconds in front of the larger engine, and was driven by Motorman Pringlo, carried a crew of seven men, and also had on board tho trailing ladder. As the driver turnc-d from Cumberland street into Stuart street something appeared to go wrong with tho steering gear, and this, coupled with tho somowliat greasy condition of the roadway, caused the engine to shoot right over to tho footpath, the (jwo front wheels striking tho kerbing. Tho machine then skidded round until the near back wheel also struck the edgo of tho footpath, and this brought about a capsize, the motor falling on its sido on tho asphalt footpath, roreman Baxter, who was seated on the near sido of the engine, apparently received the full weight of tho falling machine, for immediately after the accident his head was found to have been so severely crushed that he died almost at once Two other men—Firemen Charles M'Gill and William Olliver—also buffered severe injuries, the former in tho hip and ankle and the latter >n tho spine, and on medical aid being summoned both wero conveyed to tno Hospital. Foreman Baxter's body was removed to tho Morgue. Tho No 1 engine continued on its journey to tho supposed fire, but on discovering that it was only a false alarm it returned immediately. Foreman Baxter, who was about 48 years of age, was a member of the permanent staff of tho brigade. He first joined on January 24, 1910, and exoept for a short interval, when he was a member of the Maori Hill Brigade, he has served continuously since that time. Ho was regarded as a first-class fireman, thoroughly reliable, and understanding his work perfectly, and his untimely death caused great grief to all his colleagues. He was a married man, with one son, who has just returned from the war, and his aged parents reside at No. 4 Grange street. Beforo joining the brigade he served his time with Messrs Anderson and Morrison, tinsmiths and coppersmiths. As a member of tho brigade he has had the misfortune to have been injured in practically every accident that has oocurred, and some six years ago, on tho occasion of tho fire in Messrs Nimmo and Blair's premises, he sustained a compound fracture of tho leg. After the accident tho bystanders were specially requested not to smoke or use naked lights in tho neighbourhood of the disabled machine, and police constables were stationed in the street to see that these instructions wore carried out. Notwithstanding the precautions taken, some thoughtless person threw a match or a cigarctte butt into the gutter near tho Law- Courts Hotel, and this ignited the petrol which was flowing from the tank of the machine. Tho flames travelled quickly along tho roadway and set fire to tho machine itself, which by this means received additional damage to that it had already suffered in tho accident. One of tho large windows of the National Electrio Company's premises was broken by the fall of the machine, and several others narrowly escaped damago. For many years past the City Fire Brigade has been remarkably immune from serious accidents, and tho present is one of the worst that has occurred in its whole history. It it understood that within a period of at least 28 years no fatal accident has previously been recorded. At tho present time Superintendent Napier is laid up, but Deputy-super-intendent Salmon did" everything that was possible under the circumstances last evening.