page_title: Ballantyne's fire
hierarchical_section_title: Ballantyne's fire
caption_attribution_description: English: Ballantynes' on Fire: Presented as evidence to Royal Commission
context_page_description: On Tuesday, 18 November 1947, a fire engulfed Ballantynes department store in central Christchurch, New Zealand. 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. It remains the deadliest fire in New Zealand history.
context_section_description: On Tuesday, 18 November 1947, a fire engulfed Ballantynes department store in central Christchurch, New Zealand. 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. It remains the deadliest fire in New Zealand history.
caption: Firefighters battling the blaze
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