MR. O'KEEFFE (Limerick)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if his attention has been drawn to the serious fire in the City of Limerick on Saturday, 13th August instant, at which damages to the extent of over £20,000 are stated to have occurred; whether it has been reported that 2,000 barrels of petroleum oil were stored on the premises forming part of the burnt concerns; and if, considering the danger to life and property, he will direct rigid enforcement of the law in the preventing of the storage in large quantities of petroleum or other inflammable material in valuable and thickly-inhabited districts of Irish cities and towns?
MR. J. MORLEYMy attention has been drawn to a report of this fire and to the fact that a large quantity of petroleum oil was stored on premises adjoining those burnt down, though, fortunately, the fire did not reach the oil. I am informed that the oil was not of the description to which the Petroleum Acts of 1871 and 1879 apply, and that it was not, therefore, subject to statutory control. In the cases of other descriptions of petroleum of such strength as to bring it within the scope of the Acts of Parliament on the subject, the Local Authorities are armed with full powers in regard to its detention and storage, as well as the enforcement of the statutory penalties, and there is no reason to think that the provisions of the law in this respect are not carried out.