Fire_Brigade_1956-1957 — Page 16

lighted cigarette ends caused a large number of fires to brea out in dwellings. Burning

Burning firewood falling from unattended chatties and igniting combustible materials on the floor was another cause of fires. A number of fires were traceable to the negligent use of electrical appliances or to the occurrence of short circuits in unprotected and faulty wiring. A great number of fires were also caused by defective or badly-constructed kerosene stoves and by negligent handling of such stoves when used for domestic purposes.

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CASUALTIES

Details of casualties recorded as a result of fires and other causes (i.e. landslides, collapsed buildings, drowning, etc.) and of the number of persons rescued by the Fire Brigade are as follows:

Death. Injured. Rescued.

Rescued but died after.

74

132

1

1

Fires

Landslides, Collapsed

Buildings, Drowning

and other causes

33

188

22

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10. No serious injuries were suffered by the Brigade personnel.

FIRE RISKS

11. Fire risk in squatter areas is being gradually reduced owing to the construction of Resettlement Estates to rehouse the squatters. Officers of the Fire Brigade continue to give regular lectures and talks to the residents of the remaining squatter areas, with the result that squatters are becoming more con- scious of the danger of fires and very often outbreaks of fire in squatter areas have been checked in their initial stages, thus keeping the fire damage down to a minimum.

STAFF

12. The strength of the Brigade was increased by the addition of 5 officers and 44 other ranks. The approved establishment of this Department on 31st March, 1957, was 645 officers and other ranks.

13. Four vacancies for expatriate officers were notified to the Crown Agents who had some difficulty at first in finding experienced and suitable candidates. However, three applicants

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