§ 44. Mr. DAYasked the Minister of Transport whether an inquiry has been held into the fire which occurred in the arches at Queen's Road, Battersea, when the service on the main lines of the Southern Railway from Victoria to Clapham was suspended; and can he say whether any regulations exist prohibiting the storing of oil barrels and waste in railway arches?
§ Colonel ASHLEYNo formal inquiry into this occurrence has been held on 688 my behalf, but I understand that a full inquiry has been made by the Southern Railway Company, who inform me that the outbreak of fire did not occur actually in the arch but upon land adjacent to the bridge abutment. With regard to the letting of the arches generally, the company have regulations in force prohibiting the storage of dangerous or combustible material in arches, and periodical inspections are also carried out by their fire officers.
§ Mr. DAYDoes the right hon. Gentleman know whether these inflammable materials were stored in these arches at the time of the fire?
§ Colonel ASHLEYI do not know specifically, but I take it that as the company have these fire officers, there would be no storage of these dangerous articles under the arches.