CITY’S FIRE LOSS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 548, 28 December 1928, Page 8

CITY’S FIRE LOSS

PROPERTY VALUED AT £113,000 CALLS MORE NUMEROUS Two lives, and property to the value of £113,809, were lost as a result of outbreaks in the Auckland fire district during 1928. The previous year the total fire loss was £65,000, the increase being ac> counted for by the fire at the oil stdre of Winstone’s, Ltd., in Freeman’s Bay. The damage resulting from the big oil fire amounted to approximately £ 50,000. It was at that outbreak that Mr. R. G. B<**uth, enginedriver at the Central Station, received the burns that later resulted in his death. The other fire fatality followed the explosion on the launch Huana at the Nelson Street Wharf on December 6. as a result of which the owner, Mr. John Sanderson, died three days later. Other big outbreaks during the year were at Messrs. Tonson Garlick, Ltd., in Karangahape Road; at the Queen Street premises of Messrs. Hart Bros.: and twice at the Stanley Street premises of C. G. Laurie, Ltd. Largely as a result of numerous grass and gorse fires, the number of calls has been unusually heavy. Thi'ar there have been 609 calls, against 386 in 1927. The nature of the outbreaks is shown : i the following . table: —* 1928. 1927. Actual fires 272 200 False alarms .. .. 107 94 Chimney fires .. .. 19 31 Rubbish or gorse .. 179 38 Outside the district . 32 23 To keep the fire-fighting equipment of the city up-to-date in every respect, a new engine costing £1,200 habeen purchased and stationed at Renuiera, bringing the engine strength in the fire district to 11. A continuous single powder foam plant, for use hi quelling benzine fires, has also beeadded to the plant at the Central Station-