Fires In Wanganui

Wanganui Chronicle, 23 December 1949, Page 4

Fires In Wanganui

Sir, —As one who has had the somewhat doubtful privilege of witnessing several major lires in Wanganui within the past few years, I would like to make use’ of your columns to pay tribute to the officers and men of the Wanganui Fire Brigade for the efficient manner in which they deal with these outbreaks. Of the two more recent outbreaks, that of Felt and Textiles, and the Metropolitan Hotel fires, these men are deserving of the highest praise for making two really good saves.

The Felt and Textiles building looked hopeless when the brigade arrived and it was only by men risking life and limb, going right into the burning building,/that the save was made possible, while Wednesday’s fire at the Metropolitan Hotel was even more difficult, there being dense black smoke issuing trom almost every window in the top part of the building. I saw men standing inside the building, with flames a few feet away on eacu side, and aboye, hanging their heads out of the wifidow to get fresh air while they played a lead of hose into the middle of the building, while other firemen were beaten back from ladders by fierce flames, and had' glass and burning timber falling around them as they retreated. One aspect of the fire which did strike the onlooker, was the time which elapsed before the pumping unit was brought into operation ana there is no doubt that this made a great difference with the amount of water available from the river and the great pressure. Another aspect was the lack of some organisation to take care of the people who are rendered rootless by these fires. Had the Metropolitan Hotel been full of guests we would have had a repetition of what occurred at the Rutland Hotel fire 3 years ago. On Wednesday morning there were several members of the staff, besides guests, shivering in the cold, mostly m night attire and with no place tv go, and in the case of guests, little prospect of help. Some lost all clothes and some lost money also. This is a matter that .could be taken up with the City Council and Fire Board sc that the man left on watch at the I Fire Station could notify some responsible person' immediately, and these people, suffering from cold and shock, could be helped to shelter.—l am, etc., R. W. A.