Ian Smith and Partners Consulting Engineers Ltd.
	Fire Investigation Profile Gerry Coates joined Ian Smith & Partners (ISP) in June 1998. Previously he had his own firm G L Coates Consultants Ltd that built a formidable reputation for fire and incident investigations over the years with over 250 jobs to date. Gerry originally graduated with a postgraduate degree in 1964, and spent time in industry in UK with English Electric Co Ltd (now GEC) returning to NZ in 1967. In 1970 he joined W G Morrison & Partners (now Kingston Morrison Ltd), and started their electrical consulting division, becoming a partner in 1975. He left in 1980 to form his own firm, before joining with ISP in 1998.  He is a Fellow of the Institution of Professional Engineers, and a founder of the group Engineers for Social Responsibility. Over the years Gerry has handled a wide range of projects and built up a large experience base in electrical engineering and associated areas. A particular specialty is investigating and advising on incidents such as failures, fires, explosions, hazardous areas and product safety issues. Mediations and arbitrations have also been carried out. A complete list of all investigations and arbitrations he has carried out since 1980 is given below: The list below contains 251 cases to date. (October 1999)
	1999 Capital Loss Adjusters - Spa pool pump fire, Hataitai Crocombe Adjusters - Neon sign damage, Paraparaumu GAB Robins - Hotel apartment fire (cooktop)   " " - House fire, Eastbourne (cooktop)   " " - Juken Nissho, Masteron (PLC fire)   " " - Juken Nissho, Masteron (Compressor fire)   " " - Hotel fire, Portland Towers (heater)   " " - Dorothy Patisserie fire, Wellington McLaren Toplis - Electrical failure, supermarket   " " - House fire, Lower Hutt (light fitting)   " " - Fryer fire, Porirua   " " - Air conditioning failure, Queensgate   " " - House fire, Glenmore St (towel rail)   " " - Neon Sign fire, Harbour City   " " - Switchboard fire, Ngaio Town Hall   " " - Delicatessen fire, "Platter" Hataitai Heaney & Co - Pacific Steel v Atlas Copco Ltd Keegan Alexander - Baby Monitor fire McElroys - Litigation re chiller fire (see # in 1997)   " - Litigation re menu board fire (see # in 1994) Philips Fox - Litigation re fryer fire (see * in 1998) Young Hunter - Litigation re chiller fire (see * in 1997)	Burned out Junction Box Test rig to measure the temperature of the Junction Box.
	1998 (from June with Ian Smith & Partners) GAB Robins - Electrolux ofice fire   " " - UPS fire, National Library   " " - St Francis Apartments fire   " " - Strikeline bowling fire   " " - Hardy St Fish and Chip shop fire   " " - Tawa chicken grill shop fire   " " - Electric jug as fire cause Flinders Cook - Aro Street fire Heaney & Co - Prestige Meats v Powernet and H & J [Settled out of court] Jacobs Florentine - Litigation re Dannevirke stove fire   (see ** in 1995) [Settled out of court] Jones Fee * Tractor fire, Gore   " " * Ongoing litigation re Case tractor fires for FMG Jones Fee/Royal SunAlliance * Tauranga Churchill   Building full fire investigation. McLarens Toplis - Fire in luminaire   " " - Opinion on fryer fire, Gisborne (*) McElroys - Litigation re menu board fire (see # in 1994) MMI - Tractor fire investigation, Timaru   - Tractor fire investigation, Reporoa Pogson Cronin, Melbourne - Litigation re header fire (see # in 1997) NZI - Expert review of suspected arson
	1998 (with GL Coates Consultants Ltd) GAB Robins -Hoover dryer fire   -Chiller unit Fire Jones Fee * Litigation re tractor fire (see * in 1997)   * Opinion on water cooler fire 1997 GAB Robins - Westpac switchboard reinstatement   " " House fire, Makara   " " House fire, Ngaio   " " House fire, Lower Hutt (TV)   " " West Plaza hotel laundry fire   " " Collins cranes, fire in building crane FMG Australia * Combine harvester fire (#) Izard Weston * Litigation re frig fire (see * in 1994) Jones Fee * Tractor fire, Palmerston North (*)   " " * Tractor fire, Kaitaia   " " * Tractor fire, Gore   " " * Tractor fire, Gore   " " * Tractor fire, Gore Melco Sales * Opinion on electric kettle fire McLarens * Shirley library fire (dishwasher) (*) Morley Security * Suspect multi-way box NZ Fire Investigations - Commercial Premises fire (chiller) (#) 1996 GAB Robins - Radfords retail store faulty light fire   " " Raihia St fire (alleged facsimile cause) Jones Fee * Tegel Foods power failure claim [Settled out of court] Knight Frank Ltd - Mid-City centre: Switchboard fire Land Information NZ * Lighting level investigation Melco Sales * Opinion on electric jug fire   " " * Opinion on TV fire McLarens * Damaged computer equipment Steiner School * Assistance with transmission line case.
	1995 Robins NZ - Blenheim tractor electrical fire " " - Housing NZ building emergency lighting fire " " - Pinnacle St house fire " " - Treasury computer fire in UPS " " - Blenheim house fire (stove) " " * Honda Civic car fire. " " * The Open Polytech classroom fire " " * House fire , Health Enterprise owned, Nelson " " * Karori Golf Club fire " " * Plastic moulding machine fire, Masterton " " * Treasury: Fire in computer UPS " " * House fire, Blenheim. Porirua City Council- PCC v Mecon & Teco (settled). Flinders Cook - Clothes dryer fire investigation, Miramar. Crocombe Advisers - House fire, Maupuia Heaney Jones * Tractor fire, Invercargill   " " * Tractor fire, Palmerston North Kensington Swan * Opinion on Jaguar XJ12 fire McElroys * Automatic clothes washer fire investigation. NZI - Investigation, house fire, Lower Hutt   " - The Warehouse fire, Oamaru M & I Consultants - ABB transformer damage NZ Fire Investigations - Dannevirke stove fire   Investigation (**) Seafood Specialties - Freezer failure
	1994 Robins NZ - Quality Inn sauna fire   " " - Fire investigation, Tui Milk dryer   " " - Investigation/reinstatement, Parliament cable theft   " " - Fire investigation, farmhouse suspect refrigerator   " " - Fire investigation, RNZAF clothes dryer   " " - Fire invest., farmhouse suspected arson   " " - Fire investigation Masterton refrig. (*)   " " - Fire investigation neon sign Mischief Shoes NZI - Fire investigation, Majoribanks St dairy   " - Fire investigation, Mexican Supplies factory   " - Fire investigation, Flight Andersen timber plant   " - Fire investigation, Kambrook urn involvement   " - Post fire investigation, Raumati spa pool Dean Crocombe - Investigation into sprinkler failure ECNZ - Revenue metering project progress review Trans Power - Haywards synchronous condenser failure NZ Fire Investigations - Wanganui video fire " " " - Better Wear suspected radio fire " " " - Mount Four Square fire " " " - Suspected Glade air-freshener fire McLarens - National Bank menuboard fire invest. (#)
	1993 Robins MBS - Fire invest., McFarlane St house fire   " " - Incident investigation, Tawa power outage   " " - Fire investigation, Adams Print switchboard   " " - Fire investigation, ECNZ Stratford heater fire   " " - Fire investigation, VUW new Kohanga Reo   " " - Forklift repair investigation   " " - Fire reinstatement Parapine planer building   " " - Fire investigation, Dunlop carphone fire   " " - Fire investigation, Colgate switchboard fire   " " - Invest./ reinstatement Courtaulds gantry collapse   " " - Investigation/reinstatement, Lennard kiln fire   " " - Investigation, CHB Power transformer fault   " " - Fire investigation, Camborne house fire   " " - Fire investigation, Trans Power HVDC reactor   " " - Fire investigation, Levin broiler chicken factory NZI - Fire investigation, Mana View Rd house   " - Litigation Adelaide Rd dairy fire (see * in 1989)   " - Investigation re Upper Hutt power outage   " - Fire investigation Paraparaumu dairy   " - Vehicle fire (1993 Commodore) National Insurance - Fire invest. Lwr Hutt garage Commercial Union - Fire investigation, sandwich maker Rainey Collins Wright - Fire investig. re current valves Fire & Casualty - Fire investigation, Elizabeth Street flat
	1992 Robins MBS - Fire investigation, fish fryer   " " - Post fire liability investigation St Pauls Square   " " - Fire investigation, Flooring Accessories   " " - Fire invest. Thorobred Yarn power factor cubicle   " " - Technical assistance ECNZ turbo-generator claim   " " - Fire investigation, Akatarawa Rd house Robins MBS - Technical advcie re lightning strike claim   " " - Fire investigation, Orchard Street house   " " - Fire investigation & reinstatement, bitumen plant   " " - Fire investigation, General Assembly Library fire   " " - Investigation, WCC sewage pump station flood   " " - Incident investigation, flood damage to cables NZI - Fire investigation, house fire.   " - Fire investigation, yacht at Picton   " - Fire investigation, Canterbury Regional Council
	1991 Robins MBS - Fire investigation, Spa Pool. Norwich Union - Fire investigation opinion. Flinders Cook - Pump failure investigation.   " " - Fire investigation, storage heater Transpower - Haywards filter reactor fire
	1990 Robins MBS - Fire investigation, BATs theatre.   " " - Fire invest., Horman's Jewellers, Lwr Hutt.   " " - Investigation/assist. with reinstatement, Pilkingtons Glass.   " " - Fire investigation, spa pool.   " " - Fire investigation, figure salon. Gault Mitchell - Litigation re Tirohanga Rd (see * 1987). Fire & Casualty - Fire investigation, photo autoprinter.   " " " - Spa pool fire investigation   " " " - Control panel damage investigation NZI - Fire investigation, Cuba Mall. Flinders Cook - Fire investigation, Newtown house.   " " - Fire investigation, Expandite, Petone,   " " - Fire investigation, Sar Street house.
	1989 Robins MBS - Fire investigation, Drapery, Plimmerton.   " " - Fire investigation, Butchers Upper Hutt.   " " - Fire investigation, Office fire (heater).   " " - Fire investigation, Kelvin Chambers (lights). Robins MBS - Spa pool fire.   " " - Fire investigation, Towbar Services.   " " - Fire investigation, Russell & Somers (fan). NZI - Fire investigation, Dairy, Adelaide Rd. American Underwriters - Fire investigation, Cafe bar. NZ Police -Expert witness Crown v DRG Canon Brandon Brookfield/WCC - Arbitration between WCC/AESEC.
	1988 MBS Chandler & Taylor - Investigation re pipe failure,   WRC.   " - Fire investigation, Williams & Adams (HP   cleaner).   " - Fire investigation, At the Bays restaurant. Compair NZ Ltd. - Compressor failure investigation.
	1987 Compair NZ Ltd. - Compressor failure investigation. MBS Chandler & Taylor - House fire investigation,   Tirohanga Rd. (*)   " " - Fire investigation, Homestead Chicken.   " " - Fire investigation, Haines hunter boat.   " " - Fire investigation, Quality Inn. Perry Castle - Expert opinion re fire.
	1986 Wanganui Area Health Board - Generator problems   investigation. IBM - Computer standards investigation. Kensington Swan - Expert witness re Guinness Street (see   * in 1982) Flinders Cook - Fire investigation, Giles & Elliott, Masterton. MBS Chandler & Taylor - Fire invest., Grand Tavern.   " " - Fire investigation, Performance Panel. Sainsbury Logan Williams - Expert witness re Supergreen (see * in 1984).
	1985 Chandler & Taylor - Fire invest., Veterinarian, Lwr Hutt.   " " - Fire investigation, LV Martin store.   " " - Fire investigation, Fish fryer.   " " - Fire investigation, Tawa Meat Processors. Flinders Cook - Fire investigation, NZI House air-conditioner.   " " - House fire investigation, Masterton (dryer fire).   " " - Fire investigation, Lunch bar.
	1984 Chandler & Taylor - Fire investigation, Aro St shop.   " " - House fire investigation, Pharazyn St.   " " - Fire investigation, Big Save furniture.   " " - Fire investigation, Supergreen. (*)   " " - Spa pool fire, Tawa. Flinders Cook - PDL heater fire investigation. Caltex - Computer failure investigation. TAB - Telephone betting terminals earthing problem. Lawrence Associates - Fire investigation, dye factory. 1983 Chandler & Taylor - House fire investigation, Island Bay.   " " - Quaypoint fire investigation.   " " - PDL heater fire investigation.   " " - Fire investigation, Woodspin Products   (spraybooth).   " " - Fire investigation, Mt. Cook Cafe.   " " - Fire investigation, Zodiac Print." " - Fire investigation, Squirrel Smallgoods.   " " - House fire investigation, Crieff St   (switchboard). Hanson & Burkett - Spa pool fire, Khandallah. Flinders Cook - House fire investigation, Chatsworth Road (electric blanket)   " " - Fire investigation, Windsor Engineering.   " " - Switchboard fire, HV Drainage Board. Philip Green - Motorcycle electrics investigation. Church of Christ, Scientist - Fire investigation.
	1982 Chandler & Taylor - House fire investigation, Guinness   St. (*)   " " - Fire investigation, Dairy, Riddiford St.   " " - House fire investigation, Newlands.(TRS   wiring)   " " - Compressor failure investigation. Brandons - Court appointed enquirer, Stafford v Environ Ultrasound NZ Ltd. - Prospective arbitration. NZ Electricity - Investigation into Hazardous Wiring   Regulations. Flinders Cook - Gear meat demolition fire.   " " - Dixon Street flats hoist failure investigation. NZ Insurance - Rectifier failure investigation.
	1981 TAB - Telephone betting equipment compliance investigation. Dalgety Shipping - Faulty portable generator   investigation. Chandler & Taylor - Haywards substation fault consequential loss claim.
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