On 1 January 1931 while attending a fire at St Georges Gate, Wanganui, Foreman Alex Hird collapsed and died. Superintendent Williams had just left to attend another fire leaving Alex Hird in charge of the crew fighting the house fire in St Georges Gate when Mr Hird collapsed. .
Alexander Hird was born in Scotland and served four years in the Aberdeen Brigade in Scotland and in the 6th Gordon Highlanders in WWI. He arrived in NZ in 1920 and served as a Fireman First Class in the Wellington Brigade for two years. On moving to Wanganui in 1925, he was appointed OIC of the new Castlecliff Station. After some years he was promoted to Foreman (Third Officer) at Central Station. Alex Hird was 36 years old and left behind a wife and two young children.