FIRE AFTER EARTHQUAKE

Taranaki Daily News, 24 June 1931, Page 7

FIRE AFTER EARTHQUAKE

INQUIRY INTO THE CAUSES THEIR ORIGIN IN CHEMIST SHOPS. MR. BARTON GIVES HIS -FINDING, By Telegraph.—Press Association. Napier, Last Night.. “I find by a clear preponderance of evidence that there is no proof of destructivo outbreaks of the original fire within the burnt-out area except in three chemists’ shops,” stated Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M., in his verdict in connection with the fire, which followed the earthquake in Napier on February 3. Mr. Barton’s verdict was as follows: — The fire was caused by conditions following the earthquake, comprising damaged buildings, scattered stock-in-trade and. broken light, heat and power reticulation. Tho fire followed the earthquake which took place at about 10.50 oh the morning of the day in question and the evidence is that it broke out within a. few minutes after the earthquake. The conditions were favourable to the spread of fire in that it was a hot, fine day following a dry spell of weather. At the time of the outbreak of firo th? wind was westerly, or offshore, but within half an hour to an hour after the earthquake it changed to an easterly or south-easterly wind and the change was favourable to the spread of the fire. It is proved that the first alarm of fire was from a chemist’s shop occupied by the United Friendly Societies’ Dispensary in Emerson Street and the fire that originated there gutted these premises but was confined to them. Subsequent calls came within a few minutes from two other chemists’ , shops, those of R. Henderson and A. Hobson respectively, each of which is situated in Hastings Street. From these shops the fire spread into adjoining buildings and was then carried by the easterly wind over the chief business area, spreading by contact and by sparks carried by the wind. The water pressure was comparatively weak from the . beginning and gradually grew less till it failed altogether within an hour after the quake, and the fire then spread unchecked over the greater part ,of the area. The probabilities of further independent contemporaneous outbreaks of fire in that area cannot be overlooked, but although the fullest possible preliminary inquiries were made by the police the only evidence of such at the inquest was of an incipient outbreak at the back of the business premises of F. Thorp (which outbreak was immediately suppressed by Thorp), and conflicting testimony as to the observation of outbreaks at two other places.. '“I find by a clear preponderance of evidence that there is no proof of destructive outbreaks of the original fire within the burnt-out area except in the three chemists’ shops named,” concluded Mr. Barton.