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Kurri Kurri Fire Station History

A very special thanks goes to Brian from the Coalfields Heritage Group for his assistance in compiling this history.

Two years of rapid growth had seen Kurri Kurri rise from virgin bushland to a comfortable settlement by 1904. Those two years had been generally hot and dry, with lack of water being a problem for many households. Following Christmas 1904, the daily temperatures passed 100 deg F (38 deg C) every day – an unbearable heat wave. On New Years Eve 1905 the town was enveloped by thick, choking smoke from numerous bush fires that had been raging in the district for several days. Before the night was over, countless numbers of buildings would be burnt to the ground, including the Church of England at Bishops Bridge. In those early days of settlement on the coalfields, many miners lived in clusters of communal tent and bag camps, located in the bush close to the mine in which they worked. These camps were devastated by the fires.

Even before the disastrous New Year’s bush fires of 1905, house fires were prevalent. In September 1904, a two-room house was totally destroyed by fire. With no fire fighting equipment in town, all that could be done was standby and watch, and hope and pray that the fire didn’t spread.

A public meeting was held at Kurri Kurri’s Central Park (now Rotary Park) on the evening of February 5 1905 to form a volunteer fire brigade. Over the next two weeks names were collected from interested people. By the 20^th February 1905 25 volunteers formed the first Kurri Kurri Fire Brigade. On the 26^th of February 1905 Mr Baird was elected at the first Captain of the brigade.

Kurri Kurri's first budget was financed as follows:

Grants from the Government	£215.0s.0d
Fire insurance companies	£41.9s.0d
Public subscriptions	£196.3s.5d
Cessnock Shire Council	£1.1s.0d

Total funding over a five year period was £453.13.5 and it is understood that members of the brigade contributed £36.0.0 of the amount classified under public subscriptions.

A fire station building was erected and fire engines purchased with these monies. The building, which was erected on a site in Cessnock Street (now known as Lang Street) was a wood and iron structure 18ft x 36ft containing an engine room, watch room and bathroom.

Within 8 months of its formation, the Kurri Kurri Fire Brigade was faced with the worst disaster to ever strike the town. During the early hours of Sunday 29^th October 1905, the brigade was responded to a call for assistance from the Stanford Merthyr Colliery. Under the leadership of Captain Baird the brigade was promptly on the scene and worked energetically at pouring water down the firey tunnel. Later that morning an explosion occurred, taking with it the lives of six coal miners and injuring a number of others. Three of the Kurri Kurri Fire fighters were later publicly thanked for putting their lives in danger in an attempt to extinguish the colliery fire. They were J. Willoughby, W. Quinn and W. Morgan.

On 24^th January 1910, Kurri Kurri Volunteer Fire Brigade became part of the New South Wales Fire Brigades. In that year the brigade responded to fire calls. 2 House Fires, 2 Shop Fires and a Bush Fire.

In 1910 the fire fighting equipment consisted of:

	One Hose Reel
	Four branches
	Four nozzles
	Two stand pipes
	12 pairs of couplings
	1160 feet of 2 ½ inch unlined fire fighting hose

The Captain of the Brigade in 1910, F Percival, was paid a retainer of 30 shillings a month and crew 5 shillings, with payment for fires and drills in accordance with the Award. In 1910 the crew consisted of J. Dyson, J. Gillard, C. Picken, J. McNiell, G. Mattich, H. Wiltshire, R. Richardson, F. Snushall, J. Willoughby, A. Johns, W. Allwork.

In 1923 the Board purchased a motorised appliance, a Garford Hale 142, at a cost of £865.4.4.

In 1924 Cessnock Shire Council requested that consideration be given to the erection of a new fire station at Kurri Kurri, and provision was made in the Board’s building programme for the erection of a new station in 1928.

This building was erected on the original fire station site at a cost of £1,804 and was occupied by the Brigade on 12January 1929. The Station still stands as it was constructed with minor extensions and renovation occurring in 1998.

Currently, the fire engine installed at Kurri Kurri is a Type 2 Isuzu. This engine has a high-pressure pump that supplies up to 3,000 litres of water each minute for fire fighting operations, and on-board Class A and B foam systems to fight chemical, petrol, and bush fires.

The station is currently staffed by 12 retained fire fighters including Captain Ken M, Deputy Captain Col W. Engine Keeper, Paul S and Retained Fire fighters Ralph M, Mark H, Matt N, Ian F, Simon W, Steven W, Rod H, Anthony C and Justin P.

Major Incidents

	On Sunday 21st December, 1913, Weston Public School building was destroyed by fire. Even the joint effort of the Kurri Kurri Fire Brigade of nine Firemen and the Weston Fire Brigade of four Firemen failed to contain the blaze.
	A fire on the 23^rd February 1915 destroyed two shops and a third shop suffered damage in Lang Street.
	In 1928 Fire saw the total destruction destruction of the Catholic Church and school. The weatherboard buildings were well alight when the fire brigade arrived but firemen were able to save the household next door, halting the repair bill at £1,500.

	On the 17th August 1931 fire destroyed the entire pit top at Pelaw Main Colliery, several times the structure and coal contents caught alight, but each time the Kurri Kurri Fire Brigade was able to suppress the flames. Pelaw Main Colliery was closed for 6 months following the fire.
	In the early a.m. hours of Thursday 22nd November 1938, an underground fire caused smoke and flames to belch and bellow from the "south" tunnel entrance of the Ayrfield No. 1 Colliery. Timber surrounding quickly caught alight. The fire spread underground to the "north" tunnel entrance, and soon engulfed and gutted the pit-top buildings, blacksmith's shop, colliery office and other buildings. Dense smoke poured out of both tunnels. Kurri and Maitland fire brigades attended and pumped water from the colliery dam supply some 100 yards away until they had exhausted some 62,942 gallons. The brigades were successful in saving the poppet-head and a disused elevated timber slack holding box, although both were badly damaged. Some galvanised iron buildings such as the engine house, boiler house, and lamp cabin remained standing. Eventually seals were placed on the surface entrances of the tunnels. These seals were made from railway and skip rails, galvanised iron sheets, brattice, baulks, etc. All this was covered with earth. It was considered that the fire had started on the No. 11 south bord level. This was part of the area sealed off during Christmas 1934 following the heating and fire near the "brest" system working. In late October 1938, these seals had been broken for the purpose of exploration with a view to recover the loose coal remaining in the "brest" system chutes. Kurri Court Coroner held an inquiry into the fire at Kurri Court House on Friday 8th December 1938. In his finding the Coroner stated: "I am unable to say how the fire originated, or whether it was accidental or otherwise, the evidence does not enable me to say". Ayrfield No. 1 Colliery never re-opened after this fire.
	On 8^th December 1952 a 2,00 ton Keroses Shale dump caught alight at Richmond Vale which took the brigade six hours to extinguish.
	On 24^th September 1957 the Service Station and two motor vehicles at 3 Victoria Street were totally destroyed by a fire in the early hours of the morning.
	On 5^th November 1965, while fighting a bush fire at Loxford, fire fighter Peter McIntosh collapsed from heat exhaustion and was rushed to hospital but unfortunately died.
	On 17^th July 1970 a fire in the shops at 136 to 144 Lang Street destroyed two shops and damaged the cottage next door. Two fire fighters were taken to hospital with second degree burns to their arms.
	On 12th July 1975 Heddon Greta Public School was completely destroyed by fire.
	In 1980 a truck carrying 20,000 litres of Bundaberg Rum from Bundaberg to Sydney overturn on John Renshaw Drive. The driver escaped prior to the truck bursting into fire, which was fed from one ruptured tank of Bundaberg Rum. Four other tanks filled with the rum remained in tact.
	On 25^th August 1982 a 11 year old boy climbed into a High Voltage Transformer Yard at Pelaw Main and was electrocuted. The boy was till alive and was rescued by fire fighter Barry McDean. Unfortunately the boy later dies in hospital. Barry McDean was awarded a commendation for his actions in rescuing the boy.

Kurri Kurri Fire Brigade Captains

Information on Captains prior to the brigade becoming part of the NSW Fire Brigade is sketchy. To the best of our knowledge it was:

Captain	Appointment	Resignation	Service as Captain
J Baird	March 1905	May 1906	1 Year 2 Months
Gould	June 1906	Jan 1910	3 Years 5 Months
*From 24^th January 1910 Kurri Kurri Fire Brigade became part of the NSW Fire Brigade*
F. Percival	January 1910	May 1918	8 Years 4 Months
W. Allwork	June 1918	July 1925	7 Years 1 Month
M. Bowden	July 1925	December 1928	3 Years 6 Months
W. Allwork	Jan 1929	March 1929	3 Months
J Matich	March 1929	June 1965	36 Years 3 Months
W. Tatters	July 1965	January 1967	1 Year 6 Months
J. Orchard	January 1967	May 1974	7 Years 4 Months
L. Jackson	June 1974	October 1976	2 Years 4 Months
G. Cook	October 1976	December 1990	14 Years 2 Months
B. McDean	January 1991	December 1995	4 Years
K. Maxwell	January 1996	Active

If you have any further information on the station or personnel please email us at mail@kurrikurrifirebrigade.com or contact the station on (02) 4937-1025.

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