ARMY DEPOT FIRE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23148, 12 March 1945, Page 4

ARMY DEPOT FIRE

Huge Loss Of Stores Evidence At Inquiry (N.Z.P.A.) PALMERSTON N„ Mar. 9. The coroner’s inquiry into the circumstances of the fire at the show grounds camp on the night of December 31, when a huge quantity of army stores was destroyed, was opened today before Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M. Detective F. X. Quin is conducting proceedings on behalf of the police, Mr R. H. Cooper is appearing for the Army Department, and Mr J. P. Innes is representing the A. and P. Association. Between 25 and 30 witnesses are to be called.

Captain F. L. McKenzie, administrative officer, said that during the holiday period a special set of orders was issued, owing to a number of men being on leave. The usual patrols, it was emphasised, had to be maintained, and every precaution taken against fire risk. The orders covered the entire camp, but referred only to the outside of the ordnance stores. The administration inside the store was the responsibility of the ordnance officer.

Commanding Officer’s Evidence Captain W. S. Keegan, officer commanding the ordnance depot, said that two night watchmen were maintained in the ordnance store, one being on duty at a time. The fire equipment in the store consisted of buckets, bucket pumps, hoses and extinguishers. The army stores were under his command and the assessing of the loss was his responsibility. He had not yet arrived at the final figures, but expected to have them in a week or two. Witness was not in the camp on the night of the fire, being on leave.

In reply to Mr Cooper, witnes detailed the nightwatchmen’s hours and duties. A register was kept recording the times of inspection and any unusual occurrences. The register which was in use at the time was destroyed in the fire. The non-commissioned officer on duty kept a check on the nightwatchman. The latter was on duty in the store, which was kept locked. To obtain admission the officer on duty had to ring a bell, and he could not get in if the nightwatchman was not there. The system of storage had been approved by the superintendent of the fire brigade, whose advice was always sought. Witness, in reply to Mr Cooper, said there was a day-by-day inspection, and smoking was absolutely prohibited. To the best of witness’s knowledge this rule was observed. To the coroner, witness said there was no petrol in the store. The installation of automatic fire alarms had not been considered. Witness thought that the building in which the ordnance supplies were housed was in any case a temporary depot and thus the question of automatic alarms was ruled out. Fire In Men’s Cookhouse Sergeant W. C. Luffman, senior n.c.o. of the Showgrounds guard, said he was on duty on the evening of December 31. About 9.30 he patrolled the area and saw nothing wrong. At 10.30. when he was on another patrol, he found that the bottom of a copper in the men’s cookhouse was red hot, and a piece of wood on the wall had been ignited. The gas under the copper was alight. The wood which was glowing was on a corrugated iron wall and was used to hold a canopy over the coppers. Witness turned the gas off and went to the main gate. He then instructed Private Wagstaff to accompany him to the men’s cookhouse. They took a stirrup pump to the men’s kitchen and directed a stream of water on to the burning timber. They were satisfied that they had put the fire out, and Private Wagstaff filled the copper with cold water. Witness felt the iron around the side of the fire and it was cold. Witness said he returned with Private Wagstaff to the guardhouse and he tried to make contact with the ordnance nightwatchman, but did not receive a reply on the telephone. He went on another tour of inspection and got back to the main gate at about 11.35. Private Waestaff and Private Collins, the latter being the ordnance nightwatchman, were there. Witness instructed Private Collins to make a tour of the ordnance area and told him to examine the wall opposite the place where the fire had been. Private Collins left immediately to make the inspection and witness went back to the kitchen. Conditions there were normal. Satisfied that all was well, witness went back to the guardhouse, reaching there about 11.50 or < 11.55. Private Collins reached there at the. same time and reported that everything' was in order. They had not had any liquor and all three were capable of doing their duty efficiently. They waited at the guardhouse for about 10 minutes for the usual “noise and hullabaloo” at midnight on New Year’s Eve, witness continued. Witness thought he would contribute to this by blowing the hooter at the gate, and apparently this was the only hooter or siren that was set off. Witness went outside the guard hut and saw a glow in the sky near the ordnance depot. He was not sure if it was from the ordnance depot, but he rushed into the guardhouse to telephone the fire brigade. Witness received no reply. There were two alarms in the camp connected with the fire station, but these were of the street alarm type, and both were out of order. Thinking that he might have dialled the wrong number, witness dialled again, and when doing so heard the siren of the fire engine. Ordnance Store in Flames One engine came at first, going to the fire, which was just beyond the cookhouse, witness said. The building, an ordnance store, was well alight, and flames were breaking through the roof. Witness had no idea of the cause of the fire, and he did not connect it with the previous outbreak. Private C. F. Wagstaff said he ran his fingers over the piece of wood, which had been on fire, in order to make sure that no sparks were left. He was certain the fire was out. Private J. H. Collins, ordnance nightwatchman, said the clothing portion of the store, which was adjacent to the cookhouse, was enclosed, and the door was locked, so that the watchmen could neither enter nor see Inside. When he was told of the cookhouse fire he went to see if everything was all right on the ordnance side. He had inspected a corner of the adjacent storeroom at a spot he now knew to be 25 feet from the spot opposite the copper in the cookhouse. The inquiry was adjourned to March 22. Military material valued at more than £1,000,000, according to semiofficial estimates, was destroyed by fire shortly after midnight oii Sunday, January 1. The material was stored in the large halls owned by the Manawatu A. and P. Association. Ever since the threat of the Japanese invasion the military authorities had had the show grounds buildings crammed with equipment, supplying from there the needs of the camps situated in the southern portion of the North Island with the exception of Wellington.