1918.] The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. 
219 
FIRE HAZARD OF ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS. 
By F. R. Shepherd, Electrical Inspector, Council of the Eire 
Underwriters’ Associations of New Zealand. 
This paper is not intended to create a scare against electricity as a fire- 
raiser, but is an endeavour to show some of the causes whereby a conflagra¬ 
tion might arise from its use. Perhaps I should say “ abuse,” for I have no 
hesitation in saying at the outset that it can be made the safest and best 
of all artificial illuminants, while it stands without a rival as a motive power. 
It must, however, be admitted that electricity, on account of its subtle 
nature, may be a very serious fire hazard, as was instanced by the con¬ 
flagration of March, 1916, in Augusta, Georgia, U.S.A., involving a property 
loss of over four million dollars, and caused, it is believed, by an electric 
pressing-iron left in circuit m a dry-goods store. 
An electrical outbreak can generally be traced to one of the following 
causes: faulty material, bad workmanship, moisture, or neglect. Unless 
it is a particularly glaring case, involving one or more of the above causes, 
it is not to be expected that the uninitiated can know anything of the 
possible hazard, and for this reason it is absolutely necessary that each 
installation should be inspected before it is connected with the source of 
supply. In the case of large installations, whether for lighting or power, 
other factors besides the fire hazard should be taken into consideration— 
such as disposition of lights, sizes and location of motors—in order that the 
best results may be obtained consistent with economy of current, and it 
will invariably be found that a saving in capital and running-costs can be 
effected by consulting an electrical expert. To accept the lowest tender 
simply because it is the lowest, and not to take into consideration the class 
of material and apparatus offered, is a very unwise policy, and ultimately 
more costly in most cases. 
In this direction some very excellent advice is offered in the preface 
to the wiring rules of a leading insurance company, which reads as follows : 
“ If you put up electrical work to tender, remember this : that any firm 
by arranging to place inferior quality of work in your premises can easily 
underprice other firms that are more conscientious ; and experience proves 
that inferior work may result in a fire breaking out sooner or later—perhaps 
between floors and ceilings, behind wainscotting, or inside roofs. Be careful, 
therefore, previous to accepting a low tender, to make yourself certain 
that the same quality of work has been estimated for and intended to be 
done as that of a higher tender.” 
Under the * heading of faulty material I include badly designed 
apparatus—such as motors and their starters, generators, resistances, 
fuses, switches, lamp-holders, fittings of all descriptions, cooking and 
heating apparatus, plugs and conduits—and shoddy wires. The general 
run of materials and apparatus on the market at the present time 
is of excellent design and good finish, but, as in the case of every 
other commercial product, a lot of shoddy stuff is also made to meet 
competition. The Institutes of Electrical Engineers in both Britain and 
America have devoted considerable time and thought to setting up 
