Written by Marketing whiz Lara Thompson is living a fast-paced life in the big city when she's summoned to the sleepy town of Kissing Falls to settle the affairs of her late Aunt Vivienne who owned a tea shop. This fire was determined to be "the worst fire in New Zealand's history." But things go awry, and she has to flee to New Zealand and start a completely different life. Knowing what lies ahead, every light of a match feels ominous. Ablaze, a gripping story about the events of that fateful summer’s day, is an excellent way to close out TVNZ1’s Sunday Theatre season. National Film Unit, 1947 . Filmed in black and white, and bookended by colour archival footage of the fire and the funerals, Ablaze has an authentic historic feel and allows real footage of the fire to fit seamlessly into the story. In 1947 more than 300 people were employed in the department store of J. Ballantyne & Co, situated on the corner of Colombo Street and Cashel Street in the centre of Christchurch. Greg The Garlic Farmer lives inside a video game and has to deal with the other mindless NPC's and the crazy player characters. Ballantynes was a world of glamour and luxury, and deserves to be depicted in all its vivid glory. The significance of this tragedy is demonstrated within the consequences of this event. The quite large array of characters all wear appropriate costumes, including the fire brigade when they arrive later in the piece, but one shouldn't expect too much in the way of pyrotechnical action set pieces and stunts, due to budget limitations. The showrooms, fitting rooms, art gallery and sumptuous tearooms catered to the elite of Canterbury. Ablaze It serves to mark the line between life and art. Hours later, 41 people were dead. The dramatised events are in stark black and white. Certificate: 12 With Hannah Marshall, Daniel Watterson, Mark Mitchinson, Jared Turner. Local drama Ablaze re-enacts the Ballantynes' fire of 1947, one of New Zealand's deadliest disasters. The complex was situated where the present building stands at the intersection of Cashel and Colombo Streets. Much to her ... See full summary », When Tara discovers her fiancé and fellow solicitor Eric has been cheating with a colleague, she leaves him and their prestigious law firm to set up her own practice specialising in family ... See full summary ». A six part New Zealand thriller TV series; A detective's personal and professional life start to unravel when she is involved in a fatal car accident and begins to lose her memory. Basically, 1940s Ballantynes puts a 60% Briscoes Super Deal sale to shame. A civil funeral was held in Christchurch Cathedral on Sunday 23 November and thousands of local Cantabrians lined the streets in tribute. Ballantynes is a well-known department store in Christchurch. Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga Reference: Christchurch Fire. Transcripts . It was Cup week and the city was abuzz with visitors and shoppers. Remember when TVNZ made everyone download The Sopranos. Staff were eagerly awaiting a visit from reigning Miss New Zealand Mary Wootton and management were quick to reassure staff and customers alike that, despite a bit of smoke, there was nothing to worry about. The rise and fall of New Zealand’s largest water park, Please stop ruining summer and turn off that godforsaken music, Live updates, January 24: Probable new Northland community case went through MIQ in Auckland, Five big ticket items that New Zealanders are going crazy over, The mystery of the holy relics buried in a steel box beneath a Christchurch basilica, The bestselling NZ author behind Mystic, TVNZ’s latest teen series, The Fold: The wildfire that was 2020 for New Zealand media, reviewed. Forty-one people died and the resulting Royal Commission recommended urgent changes to the building regulations and fire prevention and firefighting throughout the country. Ablaze is a memorable drama, one that will share an important piece of New Zealand history with a new audience. Most of the upper floors were staff work areas, including the dress-making department, and the credit and accounting department. The fire will just finish the job,” a fireman says, watching as Ballantynes is swallowed up by flames. The drama ends at the perfect moment, leaving the true horror of the disaster to our imagination. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Forty one people died and the resulting Royal Commission recommended urgent changes to the building regulations and fire prevention and firefighting throughout the country. Upstairs, workers remain oblivious to the danger, and when the fire gets worse, they refuse to evacuate until they get permission to do so. By the time the fire brigade arrived, the building was engulfed by flames. Members account. “Loyalty and devotion to duty will kill them. When the plumes of smoke begin to fill the lower floors,  staff are ordered to save the merchandise rather than themselves. Image collection: Ballantynes’ Fire. When the fire began in a basement about 3.30 p.m., 250–300 people were shopping at Ballantyne’s, which had a staff of 458. The Spinoff is subject to NZ Media Council procedures. TVNZ's drama based on the Ballantyne's department-store fire in Christchurch gives cause to take stock. Independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce. It remains New Zealand’s worst fire tragedy. But this is very much an ensemble piece, so there are no leading characters, through whose perspective we view the action, such as with the Paul Newman/Steve McQueen figures in The Towering Inferno.The store was actually a conglomeration of some 6 acquired interconnected shops spread over about an acre of city space, with much of the buildings being made of wood. The desperate situation of those fighting the Ballantyne's department-store fire is shown in this film of the blaze. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? It’s hard to imagine this type of fidelity to a business today, or even working in a building without an evacuation plan. The fire at the Ballantynes Department store in Christchurch on 18 November 1947 was the worst fire in New Zealand’s history and 41 people died. The bodies of the 41 victims were buried at Ruru Lawn Cemetery, Bromley, after a civic funeral. The staff member who saw smoke coming from a stairwell asked a colleague to call the fire … You can search the catalogue for more photographs.. Ballantynes’ Fire factsheet – An easy to read summary of this disaster. Indeed, external location establishing shots are quite brief in themselves, making it somewhat difficult to appreciate the unusual set-up of Ballantyne's department store of the time. It's left to various characters to transmit this sort of exposition through their dialogue wth other characters. Ballantynes Building Destroyed 20 Missing; All Bodies Not Yet Recovered Employees Trapped In Blaze. The Ballantynes Fire disaster is etched in New Zealand’s collective consciousness as one of our greatest tragedies, but it wasn’t until I watched Ablaze that I realised how disastrous it was. On November 18, 1947, as a fire took hold in the basement of Ballantynes department store in Christchurch, 500 employees kept working and hundreds of shoppers roamed through the showrooms or chatted over tea and cakes in the cafe. (TV Movie 2019). Please try again or contact members@thespinoff.co.nz The show takes plenty of time to develop the central characters, like store owner Kenneth Ballentyne (Sunday Theatre stalwart Mark Mitchison), terrifying floor manager Edith Drake (Alison Bruce), and sweet Violet Cody (Hannah Marshall), a credit worker who worries that announcing her pregnancy will mean she’ll lose her job. Was this review helpful to you? Tom is a documentary director and producer renowned for his distinctive story-telling style. Title: The fire at the Ballantynes Department store in Christchurch on 18 November 1947 was the worst fire in New Zealand’s history and 41 people died. It was one of the biggest fires in New Zealand’s history, and forever changed the way we deal with fire prevention and public safety. The Spinoff is a New Zealand online magazine covering politics, pop culture and social issues. It’s a place so classy that waitresses must serve cake from the right, female employees are expected to wear a hat and gloves to cross the floor, and a visit from Miss New Zealand sends everyone giddy with excitement. Written by John Banas (Underbelly, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries), Ablaze tells the stories of those closest to the fire – the sales assistants who first noticed the flames, the firefighters trying to save the building, and the dressmakers and office workers trapped on the upper floors. What Ablaze does best is show how trapped Ballantynes employees were, both in the rabbit warren of a building and in the unflinching expectations of their employers. Crime. At it’s heart, Ablaze is a poignant story about a bunch of ordinary New Zealanders who went to work one summer’s day and never came home. This report presents information regarding the Ballantynes Department Store Fire Disaster, which occurred at Christchurch, New Zealand, on the 18th November 1947. His best-known works as director/producer include Billal, The Diplomat, Molly & Mobarak and The Hungry Tide. ballantynes fire. Focused on Christchurch's Ballantynes' fire of 1947, Ablaze is a disaster movie in the mould of Titanic or The Perfect Storm. Photo: Supplied. Other times, it’s a frustrating distraction – Ablaze has faithfully recreated the hair styles, costumes and buildings from the ‘40s, so it’s a shame we miss all the finer details that colour would have bought to life. Even the Fire Service won’t legally enter the premises without management’s blessing.  The Ballantyne's fire of 1947 held high significance within New Zealand during this time period and today. If you can help, donate to The Spinoff Members. Gardens of fire. He soon finds himself a former big city doctor turned small town doctor. The owner of a quaint New Zealand yarn shop, Sophie Dale, gets her world flipped upside down after learning her top supplier of yarn, King Farms, is stopping production. If you Towards the end, there is a transition coda to both black and white and colour news footage of the fire being fought and we are listed more information about the fates of some of the real life characters. This is not a documentary. We are located at 14 McDonald Street, Morningside, Auckland 1025. A complaint must first be directed in writing, within one month of publication, to info@thespinoff.co.nz. Kete Christchurch. The Press, November 19, 1947. p. 7. The Spinoff Daily gets you all the day's best reading in one handy package, fresh to your inbox Monday-Friday at 5pm. At least 680 people were in Ballantynes at the time of the fire - 430 staff and 250 customers. We use Policy to help decide who to vote for. The 41 people that perished in the blaze denoted the highest rate of death as a direct result of a fire in our history. Renee, ... See full summary », On November 18, 1947, as a fire took hold in the basement of Ballantynes department store in Christchurch, 500 employees kept working and hundreds of shoppers roamed through the showrooms or chatted over tea and cakes in the cafe. An oil refinery blows up, causing a firestorm that threatens a hospital and everyone inside. If not satisfied with the response, the complaint may be referred to the online complaint form at www.presscouncil.org.nz along with a link to the relevant story and all correspondence with the publication. Look back at our favorite moments throughout the year, from award shows to up-close shots of celebrities. Saturday 18 November 2017 is the 70th anniversary of the Ballantyne's fire in Christchurh (18 Nov 1947). Use the HTML below. It was the worst fire in New Zealand's history. On 18 November 1947 Ballantyne's, a Christchurch department store that was a local institution, was razed by one of the worst fires in New Zealand's history. ; Ballantynes’ Fire resource –Transcripts of articles from newspapers and other sources regarding the Ballantynes’ Fire. Staff were eagerly awaiting a visit from reigning … If you want to find out more… deleted in the past. This is a NZ docudrama about the death of well-standing cricket umpire Plumley-Walker, 51, in a misadventure in a B&D session with young dominatrix Renee Chignell in January 1989. Share this item Post to Pinterest Post to Facebook Post to Twitter. On 18 November 1947 a fire broke out in the store and many workers became trapped on the upper floors. She said each year a wreath is laid at the Ballantyne's fire memorial in the Ruru Lawn Cemetery in Bromley. The fire in Christchurch’s prestigious department store was the deadliest in New Zealand’s history. By the time of the infamous Ballantynes fire it was widely known as the 'queen of department stores' in the city. 41 people lost their lives, 39 staff and 2 of the company's auditors from the partnership of Stewart Beckett. If you’d like to log in you’ll need to set up a new members account. 41 people died on November 18, 1947, when a fire swept through the upmarket Christchurch department store and razed an entire acre of buildings to the ground. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. BALLANTYNE'S FIRE TUESDAY 18 NOVEMBER 1947 CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND. We rely on donations to fund our work. The Ballantynes fire was a tragic event in the history of New Zealand and for Christchurch and Ballantynes in particular. Firemen at Ballantynes Fire 1947. During a murder investigation at Queenstown's infamous One Lane Bridge, ambitious young Maori Detective, Ariki Davis, inadvertently reawakens a spiritual gift that endangers the case, his career and his life. Add the first question. Post-war New Zealand is beginning to boom, and Ballantynes has a staff of over 480 people to tend to every customer’s need. for support, It looks like this account has been We drink L'affare by day. Check your email inbox to finalise email verification. We also have a custom editorial division which creates smart, shareable content for brands. CCL PhotoCD 1, IMG0016. The Ballantyne's fire was the worst fire in New Zealand history. Cyril’s a rare rebel in a company that’s a stickler for rules and thrives on a fierce hierarchy, and it’s the unquestioned obedience to these rules that later proves to be the downfall of many. Today marks the 67th anniversary of the Ballantynes’ Fire. A sense of dread smoulders slowly through the first half of Ablaze, as we meet the poor folk who might not survive the day. Investigator Jan and profiler Louise constantly move around in the thrilling periphery of a murderer's view as they link a series of killings. Using this item. After a family member is murdered, con woman Silvia decides to get even by robbing the crime boss behind the hit. This is a sample of photographs of the Ballantynes’ Fire disaster of 18 November 1947. The Ballantynes fire on November 18, 1947, remains New Zealand's deadliest fire tragedy. All those good manners, doing nobody any good at all. Tara Ward reviews. Established in 1854, Ballantynes is New Zealand's first department store. It’s Carnival Week in Christchurch, the Christmas tree lights are switched on, and staff are abuzz about the upcoming wedding of Princess Elizabeth to her Greek sailor boyfriend. If you want to find out more about this tragic event, Christchurch City Libraries has a resource that features transcripts of articles from newspapers and other sources about the fire. “Have a baby, suddenly you’re not employable any more,” she complains, a laugh/cry reminder that not everything has changed since 1947. Gossipy sales assistant Cyril is the villain of the piece, skiving off to enjoy a sneaky smoke in the cellar. 1947 Ballantynes was a world away from today’s mass produced, fast-fashion shopping experience, but the emotional stories of Violet, Cyril and Edith from that November day will still resonate with viewers, seventy years after the tragedy. It claimed 41 lives and, as the narration says, was “one of the greatest civil tragedies New Zealand has known.” Even when the fire brigade arrive, a lack of training and confidence amongst its members seems pretty obvious too.Ablaze, unusually filmed in black and white, is not a great film but is an ambitious and quite absorbing movie given it's limitations. A rising heart surgeon's life takes a turn he never expected and soon everything comes crashing down. Today is the 62nd anniversary of the fire at the Ballantynes Department store in Christchurch. This FAQ is empty. Ken Ballantyne is rescued from the top floor of the burning building on Colombo St. Tardiness is the enemy of some, but it once saved Miss New Zealand from a horrific death… The business was owned and managed by two brothers who were from the Ballantyne family. 23 November 1947. The fire soon became out of control with the loss of 41 lives. Ablaze begins four days before the fire, and it’s all go in Ballantynes. During the afternoon of Tuesday the 18th November, 1947 fire broke out in the cellar of J Ballantyne & Co, a department store on the corner of Colombo and Cashel Streets in Christchurch. 2 of 3 people found this review helpful. This email is not associated with a Spinoff In November 1947 forty-one people died in a massive blaze that gutted the huge Ballantynes Department Store complex in the heart of Christchurch’s business district. View production, box office, & company info. If you want to find out more about this tragic event, Christchurch City Libraries has a resource that features transcripts of articles from newspapers and other sources about the fire. Many of the 14 films he’s directed and produced have won him awards, including three AACTA’s. Hours later, 41 people were dead. What this film is very good at relaying, is the complete lack of emergency planning on the part of Ballantyne's management. 41 people died; 39 employees and two auditors, who found themselves trapped by the fire, or were overcome by smoke while evacuating the store complex without a fire alarm or evacuation plan. In one of the greatest fire tragedies in the history of New Zealand, 28 perished, one died from injuries, and 20 other persons including a baby, were officially reported missing. When the fire breaks out, it's amazing to witness the apathy towards the initial smoke warnings and the authoritarian, but clueless control exerted by floor managers, not just on staff, but customers as well. can log in to The Spinoff. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. On Tuesday, 18 November 1947, a fire engulfed Ballantynes department store in central Christchurch, New Zealand. Read more... 18 November 1947. Photos are our glimpses of the past, and you can browse spectacular photographs taken of the Ballantynes' fire through the following sources: Our collection; Kete Christchurch; Digital NZ set: Ballantynes' Fire; Aerial View of the gutted shell of the three-storied department building. Events In History . Ablaze constantly reminds us that had the right people made different choices, more lives would have been saved. Directed by Joshua Frizzell. 41 people died in total and the fire it is still considered one of New Zealand's worst disasters. Follows a group of police officers on the front line wondering what they did to end up where they are now, on the ugly side of Manchester. PH14-001.jpg. They just stand around in smoky environments just non-plussed, as apparently occurred in real life. The dead in the Ballantynes fire were not “authors of their own misfortune”, but they were certainly too obedient. “You know you shouldn’t be smoking down here,” he tells his mate, as they puff away among the naked mannequins and paint tins. Ablaze is an interesting account of an event I'd never heard of before; a huge blaze in a large Christchurch department store in 1947, the tragic consequences of which, saw a huge makeover of New Zealand's fire regulatory frameworks.It's a well-acted, small-scale disaster docudrama made clearly on a tight budget. have any issues contact us on members@thespinoff.co.nz. The Ballantynes fire was a tragic event in the history of New Zealand and for Christchurch and Ballantynes in particular. Enzedder. This week’s Sunday Theatre feature is Ablaze, a drama about the 1947 fire at the Ballantynes Department Store in Christchurch that killed 41 people. Ballantynes’ staff gave evidence that three calls were made to the Fire Brigade, the first estimated to have been at about 3.39pm, however, the Fire Brigade had only two calls logged, the first at 3.46pm. The fire at the Ballantynes Department store in Christchurch on 18 November 1947 was the worst fire in New Zealand’s history. You'll then be asked to choose a password so you Forty-one coffins were numbered, then filled. The Ballantyne's Department Store fire of 18 November 1947 was — until the 2011 earthquake — Christchurch’s biggest disaster. For further information see the book The Ballantyne Fire Disaster … The bodies of those who were killed couldn't be identified. Ballantynes' Fire 18 November 1947 A DigitalNZ Story by Donna Robertson The fire at the Ballantynes Department store in Christchurch on 18 November 1947 was the worst fire in New Zealand’s history. Fact file from Christchurch City Libraries Ballantynes' Fire Digital Resources Christchurch City Libraries' resource composed of transcripts of articles from newspapers and other sources regarding the Ballantynes Fire. On November 18, 1947, as a fire took hold in the basement of Ballantynes department store in Christchurch, 500 employees kept working and hundreds of shoppers roamed through the showrooms or chatted over tea and cakes in the cafe. Though not high-rise, the buildings were multi-story, with little communication between different departments. 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