PETROL STORAGE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21185, 4 November 1938, Page 13

PETROL STORAGE

EXPLOSION RISK DISCOUNTED Bv Telegraph—Press Association NEW PLYMOUTH, November 2. The Government investigations into the hazards of petrol storage tanks were outlined by the Chief-Inspector of explosives (Mr Girling Butcher) when, with other Government officials, he inspected the proposed site of storage tanks at Moturoa to-day. The feelings of people who urged that the tanks should be underground, and who feared for the safety of life and property in the vicinity of the tanks were, Mr Girling Butcher said, due to misunderstanding. Before any regulations governing petrol tanks had been made in New Zealand, the Government had made exhaustive world-wide inquiries as to what hazards were involved, and what were reasonable precautions. As a result of those inquiries, dangerous goods regulations were framed. They were in accord with the experience of other countries which had far greater quantities of petrol in store. The risk which had to be guarded against was fire risk and not explosion risk. There was no case on record of an explosion having thrown any part of a tank against any adjacent building. If tanks should be hit by a bomb or shell, a nearby school would still be safe. It would not matter a great deal from the defence standpoint if one or two tanks were put out of commission by a raid because for its population New Zealand had more bulk installations than any other country.