POLICE are waiting for a report from the Tasmania Fire Service before investigating the blaze that destroyed Ward 1 at the former Royal Derwent Hospital a fortnight ago, Derwent Valley mayor Martyn Evans said tonight.
Councillor Evans told tonight's council workshop that he had contacted the police as requested at the last council meeting, and had been advised the police would act once they had been informed that the fire had been deliberately lit.
Such a report seems unlikely to be received. The building was demolished within hours of the fire, following the fire service's announcement that the incident would not be investigated. "Because our meeting with Tasmania Police some time ago it was
determined that any investigation would probably come up with very
little evidence and chances of succeeding a prosecution now is virtually
nil," a Tasmania Fire Service spokesman told the ABC at the time.
Deputy mayor Barry Lathey told tonight's workshop that it was a "very bad practice" not to investigate the fire. A former chief officer of the New Norfolk Fire Brigade, Cr Lathey agreed that firefighters did not need to enter potentially unsafe buildings, but said they "could do an offensive attack and extinguish the fire" from outside, particularly as the hospital wards were "wide open".
The same workshop heard from council general manager Stephen Mackey that Ward 1 had not been one of the hospital buildings approved for demolition.
Hmmmm very interesting, so Ward 1 wasn't approved for demolition
ReplyDeleteoh so very interesting, said the right hand to the left hand
ReplyDeleteInteresting indeed ... no investigation ... demolition within hours of the fire ... filled with valuable building materials ... not approved for demolition ...
ReplyDeleteHow fortuitous a tragedy.