FIRE BRIGADE ACCIDENT.
FOREMAN ROBERT BAXTER KILLED.
TWO OTHER FIREMEN INJURED.
Those misguided individuals who, in the exercise of a distorted sense of humour, send false alarms to the City Fire Station have always a good deal to answer for in the annoyance and inconvenience they cause to the brigade, but never before last night has a tragic result attended their senseless action. Foreman Robert Baxter was killed through the overturning of one of the motor engines at the corner of Cumberland and Stuart streets, and two other fireinen were badly injured. At 10.26 p.m. the brigade received a call from the box at the corner of Stuart and Albert. With their customary despatch, two of the motors at once left the station; No. 1, the large machine, under the charge of Deputy-superintendent Salmon, and No. 7 in charge of Foreman Murray. The latter, which got away a few seconds in front of the larger engine, and was driven by Motorman Pringle, carried a crew of seven men, and also had on board the trailing ladder. As the driver turned from Cumberland street into Stuart street something appeared to go wrong with the steering gear, and this, coupled with the somowhat greasy condition of the roadway, caused the engine to shoot right over to the footpath, the two front wheels striking the kerbing. The machine then skidded round until the near back wheel also struck the edge of the footpath, and this brought about a capsize, the motor falling on its side on the asphalt footpath. Foreman Baxter, who was seated on the near side of the engine, apparently received the full weight of the falling machine, for immediately after the accident his head was found to have been so severely crushed that he died almost at once. Two other men — Firemen Charles McGill and William Olliver — also suffered severe injuries, the former in the hip and ankle and the latter in the spine, and on medical aid being summoned both were conveyed to the Hospital. Foreman Baxter's body was removed to the Morgue. The No 1 engine continued on its journey to the supposed fire, but on discovering that it was only a false alarm it returned immediately.
Foreman Baxter, who was about 48 years of age, was a member of the permanent staff of the brigade. He first joined on January 24, 1910, and except for a short interval, when he was a member of the Maori Hill Brigade, he has served continuously since that time. He was regarded as a first-class fireman, thoroughly reliable, and understanding his work perfectly, and his untimely death caused great grief to all his colleagues. He was a married man, with one son, who has just returned from the war, and his aged parents reside at No. 4 Grange street. Before joining the brigade he served his time with Messrs Anderson and Morrison, tinsmiths and coppersmiths. As a member of the brigade he has had the misfortune to have been injured in practically every accident that has occurred, and some six years ago, on the occasion of the fire in Messrs Nimmo and Blair's premises, he sustained a compound fracture of the leg.
After the accident the bystanders were specially requested not to smoke or use naked lights in the neighbourhood of the disabled machine, and police constables were stationed in the street to see that these instructions were carried out. Notwithstanding the precautions taken, some thoughtless person threw a match or a cigarette butt into the gutter near the Law Courts Hotel, and this ignited the petrol which was flowing from the tank of the machine. The flames travelled quickly along the roadway and set fire to the machine itself, which by this means received additional damage to that it had already suffered in the accident. One of the large windows of the National Electric Company's premises was broken by the fall of the machine, and several others narrowly escaped damage.
For many years past the City Fire Brigade has been remarkably immune from serious accidents, and the present is one of the worst that has occurred in its whole history. It it understood that within a period of at least 28 years no fatal accident has previously been recorded. At the present time Superintendent Napier is laid up, but Deputy-super-intendent Salmon did everything that was possible under the circumstances last evening. -Otago Daily Times, 17/5/1918.
F U N E R A L N O T I C E.
The Members of the Dunedin and Suburban Fire Brigades are respectfully requested to attend the Funeral of our late Comrade, FOREMAN ROBERT BAXTER which will leave the Central Fire Station for the Anderson's Bay Cemetery TOMORROW (SUNDAY) AFTERNOON, May 19, at 2 o'clock. Uniform: Full dress.
R ROSS Hon. Secretary Dunedin Fire Brigade. -Otago Daily Times, 18/5/1918.
A DEPARTED COMRADE
FOREMAN BAXTER’S FUNERAL.
DEMONSTRATION OP PUBLIC SYMPATHY.
The funeral of Foreman Robert Baxter, late of the Dunedin City Fire Brigade, took place yesterday afternoon, and was the occasion of a remarkable demonstration of public sympathy with the bereaved relatives and with the Fire Brigade. Foreman Baxter was killed in the accident that occurred on Thursday night last to No. 7 motor while the brigade were responding to a malicious false alarm. Large crowds thronged the streets through which the mournful procession passed right from the central station to Anderson, Bay.
At 1.30 p.m. the firemen from all the suburban brigades assembled at the city station, and they made a fine showing as they were formed up in the yard at the rear of the station. Deputy Superintendent J. J. Salmon was in charge of the parade, in the absence of Superintendent A. G. Napier, who is laid aside to illness. In addressing the assembled firemen, Mr Salmon said that he desired, on behalf of Superintendent Napier, to thank them all for the way they had turned out in such large numbers to pay their last respects to an old comrade. He had been associated with the late Foreman Baxter for over 25 years, and they all know what a staunch comrade he was as a man and a fireman. When the late Foreman Baxter met with an accident some time ago while working at a fire, he had been offered a comfortable position in the station, but he would not accept it, saying that if he could not go to his duty on the motors, then he would cease to be a fireman. Wherever the fire was hottest Foreman Baxter was to be found, and he had met his death while attending to duty. Mr Salmon concluded by stating that if their late comrade had been killed while proceeding to an actual fire, or while working at a fire, then there would have been some consolation in the fact that he had given his life for a good cause; but when a man's life was sacrificed through the mad prank of some individual giving a false alarm, the thing was criminal. He hoped that if the individual who gave, the alarm was on the sidewalks that day watching the procession, that his conscience would prick him for the rest of his life. He desired to thank Deputy Superintendent W. Coupar, of the Oamaru Fire Brigade, and his men for coming all the way to attend the funeral of their comrade. He also desired to thank His Worship the Mayor, the members of the Fire Board, and all others for the sympathy shown in such a tragedy, which was one of the worst which had ever befallen the Dunedin Fire Brigade.
The coffin was then carried down from the married men’s quarters and placed on No. 4 motor, that served as a hearse. The Rev. G. H. Jupp, of Knox Church, then conducted a service in the yard, taking as his subject chapters from the 1st Epistle of Peter. The pall-bearers were Superintendent G. Laurie (Woodhaugh Brigade), Nisbet (Maori Hill Brigade), Branchman Cairns (Oamaru Brigade), and Firemen Morrison, Williams, and Murray (Dunedin City Brigade). There were about 120 firemen on parade, including representatives from South Dunedin, St. Kilda, Roslyn, Maori Hill, Mornington, Woodhaugh, Port Chalmers, Oamaru, Hillside Railway, and Dunedin Railway Brigades. Among those present were Deputy Superintendent W. Coupar, of the Oamaru Brigade (president of the United Fire Brigades' Association of New Zealand). Mr T. Chalmer and other members of the Dunedin Fire Board, and a large number of ex-firemen.
The funeral procession left the city station shortly after 2 p.m,, and as the motor carrying the coffin left the yard, the members or the City Brigade stood at the salute in the centre of the station. The procession was headed by the Kaikorai and St. Kilda Bands combined, and the motor hearing the coffin was laden with floral tributes of sympathy. Two of the large city motors then moved off along Cumberland street, and on reaching the Fountain their crews again lined up at the salute as the procession passed their ranks. At the graveside at Anderson Bay a detachment of Boy Scouts, under Scoutmaster King, performed very useful service by keeping the precincts of the grave clear before the arrival of the cortege. The Rev. A. Cameron, of the Anderson Bay Presbyterian Church, conducted the service at the cemetery, and the firemen’s funeral ritual was read by Deputy Superintendent Salmon. Many beautiful wreaths were sent by old comrades of the deceased and other sympathisers, including one from the members of the Fire Board, Superintendent Napier, Deputy Superintendent Salmon, Foreman Murray, Fireman Seymour, Miss Murray, and one from each suburban brigade. The Mayor (Mr J. J. Clark) visited the central station in the morning, and officially expressed his sympathy with the brigade and with the relatives of the deceased. -Evening Star, 20/5/1918.
Mr and Mrs BAXTER and the WIFE and SON of the late Foreman Robert Baxter desire to Thank their many kind friends for expressions of sympathy in their recent sad bereavement. -Otago Daily Times, 25/5/1918.
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