§ 74. Mr. THORNEasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the serious fire at a Luton hat factory; whether emergency staircases were attached to the outside of the building; and whether he is taking any action in the matter?
§ Mr. SHORTYes, Sir. My right hon. Friend has received reports on this calamitous fire, and he takes this opportunity to express the sympathy which he knows will be felt by everyone in this House with the relatives of the deceased. The reports show that, while there was no outside emergency staircase, there were two internal staircases, one of stone and the other of teak, from top to bottom on either side of the factory, and a certificate had been issued by the local authority in 1904 that the factory was provided with suitable means of escape. 39 The circumstances will be investigated at the inquest which was opened on Friday last, and any further review of the position must wait until the results of that inquiry are available.
§ Mr. THORNEWill the Under-Secretary be good enough to ask the Home Secretary to conduct an investigation as to the cause of the fire and the kind of clothes that they had in the factory in question?
§ Mr. SHORTI have no doubt that my right hon. Friend will look into the matter when the result of the inquest is announced.