LOSSES BY FIRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22114, 18 November 1933, Page 11

LOSSES BY FIRE

A MARKED REDUCTION DANGERS OF THE FIREPLACE. (Fbom Odb Pablxamehtaet Reroutes.) WELLINGTON, November 17. For the first time in a number of years the fire waste in New Zealand in 1932 was considerably less than in other high fire-loss countries such as the United States and Canada. According to a report presented to the House to-day by Mr R. Girling-Butcher, inspector of fire brigades, the fire waste for the year 1932 is the lowest since 1922, and represents a loss per head of population of 11s 5d as compared with an average of 18s Id for the previous fiveyear period. The national loss by fire during 1932 was £867,714 compared with £1,292,094 for the previous year and an averagp of £1,332,032 for the previous five-year period. The estimates made are conservative, being obtained by taking the actual payments of the insurance companies and adding a percentage of 12$ for uninsured loss. In the United States the average fire loss for the year 1932 was 13s 5d and in The fire losses in fire board districts compiled for the financial year ended March 31, 1933, show an even greater proportionate reduction, the loss for the year being only £201,735 (5s lid) per head as compared with £508,407 (14a lid per head) for the preceding five-year period. Commenting on the causes of the decrease, the report points out that owing to the drop in property values the insurance companies’ payments must be reduced as are based on the value at the time of loss. The figures, - which show a reduction of one-third on the previous year,- indicate a definite reduction in fire waste, as it is most unlikely that the reduction due to property values would exceed 20 per cent. The number of fires in fire board districts has fallen from an average of 1345 to 737 for the year under review, or a reduction of 45 per cent. The fire prevention campaign inaugurated at the end of 1931 by the Government was undoubtedly one of the most important factors in effecting the reduction shown. From an examination of the figures relating to the causes of fire it is very clear that the ordinary heating or cooking fireplace is the principal fire risk existing under New Zealand conditions and no permanent reduction in the Dominion’s fire loss will be achieved until this fact is fully realised. The hazard is described as hydra-headed, and among its many manifestations are the ignition of clothes being aired in front of,a fire, fires caused through sparks thrown out, defective chimneys and hearths, fuel projecting from or placed near the fire box,, hot ashes placed in wooden containers, fat boiling over, defective boilers or hot water systems, and lighting fires with kerosene. The majority of the fires recorded as "cause unknown” come under this heading. Very great care has been taken by the police in making inquiries into the bona fides of fires, and the opinion is expressed that the publicity given by these investigations and occasional public inquiries before a coroner have a very definite value as a deterrent from incendiarism. Fifteen coroners’ inquiries were held into fires compared with five in the previous year and 21 convictions for arson were obtained as against 16, The number of cases of injury to persons from fires was considerably lower than in previous years. Home dry-clean-ing with petrol was the most prolific source of injury, hut fortunately no fatal fires occurred from this cause. It appears to be impossible to educate the public to an apprecation of the danger both to persons and property arising from the use of petrol inside buildings. The personnel of the New Zealand fire brigades consists mainly of volunteers, there being only 250 permanent firemen (of whom 218 are members of city brigades) as compared \yith 2215 volunteers. '