NAPIER FIRES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 147, 24 June 1931, Page 8

NAPIER FIRES

MR BARTON'S VERDICT CHEMIST-SHOP OUTBREAK THE ONLY PROVED ORIGIN I Pet Pies? Xssotiation.| NAPIER, June 23. “1 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 three chemists*’ shops,” stated Air .1. S. .Barton, in a verdict in connection with the lire which followed the earthquake in Napier on February 3. Air Barton’s verdict was as follows: “The said fire was caused by conditions following the earthquake comprising damaged buildings, scattered stock in trade and broken light, heat and power reticultion. A fire followed the earthquake, which took place at about 10.50 on 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 a spread of the fire, in that it was a hot, fine day following a dry spell of weather. At the time of the outbreak of fire the wind was west, erly, or offshore, but within half an hour to an hour after the earthquake it changed to easterly or south-easterly. The wind and change were favourable to a spread of the fire. “It is proved that the first alarm of lire was at a chemist’s shop occupied by the United Friendly Society’s dispen-

sary in Emerson Street, and the lire that originated there gutted those premises, but, was confined to them. Subsequent calls came within a few minutes from two other chemists’ shops, namely those of Messrs R. Henderson and A. Hobson respectively, each of which is situated in Hastings Street. From these shops the fire spread into the adjoining buildings, and was then carried by the easterly wind over the chief business area, spreading by confact and by sparks carried by the wind The water pressure was comparatively weak from the beginning, and gradually grew loss, till it failed altogether with in an hour after the ’quake, and th<> fire then spread unchecked over the greater part of the area.

“The probabilities of a further independent contemporaneous outbreak of fire in that area cannot be overlooked, but although the fullest possib'? preliminary enquiries 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 Mr’ Thorp) and conflicting testimony as to the observtion of outbreaks at two other places. “I find by clear preponderance of evidence that there is no proof of destructive outbreaks of the original file within the burnt-out, area, except in the three chemists’ shops named above.”