§ 33. Mr. SCRYMGEOURasked the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the fact that during the recent fire at Llandudno Post Office a Post Office engineer prevented a fireman from spraying the switchboard gear with water, thus averting serious explosions; what steps are taken to avoid such a possibility occurring in offices having a large equipment of electrical gear; and will he give an assurance that, since discontinuance of the night telegraph service at Dundee, the head office telegraph department safeguarded against fire by men having the technical knowledge to immediately deal with an outbreak of fire in that department?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThe Post Office engineer prevented the fire brigade from spraying the power plant with water in order to minimise damage, but there was no risk of an explosion. At Dundee, as at all telephone exchanges of comparable size, engineers are continuously in attendance. As the Dundee exchange is housed in the head post office, these officers are in a position to safeguard all the plant (both telephone and telegraph) in the building.