§ LORD GISBOROUGHasked Her Majesty's Government:
In view of a recent Press report that Middlesbrough was only saved from destruction by a few volunteers who put out a fire on a piston gasometer after it had been struck by lightning, whether they are satisfied that the Gas Board are taking adequate precautions to avoid a disaster such as occurred in a town in Germany which was reported to have been destroyed by the explosion of a gasometer.
§ THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (LORD DRUMALBYN)The incident referred to which has been reported to H.M. Factory Inspectorate, occurred on July 24 and involved a gasometer holding coke oven gas on premises at Cleveland, Middlesbrough, occupied by British Steel Corporation. The Gas Board had no direct responsibility for this gasometer. General recommendations for the protection of structures against lightning are contained in British Standards Institution Code of Practice CP 326: 1965. Their application to gasometers, including those operated by Gas Boards, is currently being investigated by H.M. Factory Inspectorate.