FIRE DEPARTMENT OF MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIA.)

FIRE DEPARTMENT OF MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIA.)

Superintendent Stein’s sixth annual report of the fire brigade of Melbourne, Australia, gives a total of 949 calls for 1806, as against 1,140 in 1895. Of the 949 calls. 398 were false alarms, seventy-four chimney calls, seventy-two rubbish and grass fires, 285 slight fires, eighty-six caused considerable damage, and thirty four “total destruction.” Only one fire of any magnitude is covered by the last heading, the majority of buildings totally destroyed being weatherboard structures. The principal causes of fires, so far as they were ascertained, were: Candles, thirty-six; children playing, twenty-five;sparks, seventeen; hot ashes, sixteen; tar, etc., boiling over, eleven; lamps, thirteen; lime slaking, six; incendiarism, six. There were 222 fires of unknown or doubtful oiigin. Fires in dwelling houses numbered 220; in shops, ninety-four; in factories and workshops, thirty-one; in public buildings, etc., nine; in stores, eighteen; in hotels, etc., ten; in offices, seven; in the open, thirteen; and in stables, three. Eights lives were lost at the fires, and seven other persons sustained injuries. Several firemen were serionsly injured at fires, and there was considerable illness in the brigade. The strength of the brigade on December 31, 1896, was as follows :—twenty-five officers and engineers, sixty permanent firemen, and 206 auxiliary firemen, with eight steamers, three manuals, 105 hose reels, nine extension ladders and fire escapes, forty one horses, 81,894 feet of hose and forty six stations. One new station was opened during the year, completing the schedule of buildings for which the loans were obtained. The cost of the brigade last year, including interest on $650,000 borrowed, was $155,250, the government, municipalities, and insurance companies each paying one-third.

Superintendent Stein’s sixth annual report of the fire brigade of Melbourne, Australia, gives a total of 949 calls for 1806, as against 1,140 in 1895. Of the 949 calls. 398 were false alarms, seventy-four chimney calls, seventy-two rubbish and grass fires, 285 slight fires, eighty-six caused considerable damage, and thirty four “total destruction.” Only one fire of any magnitude is covered by the last heading, the majority of buildings totally destroyed being weatherboard structures. The principal causes of fires, so far as they were ascertained, were: Candles, thirty-six; children playing, twenty-five;sparks, seventeen; hot ashes, sixteen; tar, etc., boiling over, eleven; lamps, thirteen; lime slaking, six; incendiarism, six. There were 222 fires of unknown or doubtful oiigin. Fires in dwelling houses numbered 220; in shops, ninety-four; in factories and workshops, thirty-one; in public buildings, etc., nine; in stores, eighteen; in hotels, etc., ten; in offices, seven; in the open, thirteen; and in stables, three. Eights lives were lost at the fires, and seven other persons sustained injuries. Several firemen were serionsly injured at fires, and there was considerable illness in the brigade. The strength of the brigade on December 31, 1896, was as follows :—twenty-five officers and engineers, sixty permanent firemen, and 206 auxiliary firemen, with eight steamers, three manuals, 105 hose reels, nine extension ladders and fire escapes, forty one horses, 81,894 feet of hose and forty six stations. One new station was opened during the year, completing the schedule of buildings for which the loans were obtained. The cost of the brigade last year, including interest on $650,000 borrowed, was $155,250, the government, municipalities, and insurance companies each paying one-third.