Telephone exchange overloaded.

The Press, Nov 19, 1947. p.8

A few minutes after the fire at Ballantyne’s store started yesterday telephone lines throughout the city were paralysed as the maximum number of calls the central exchange can handle was reached. By 4.30 p.m. it was impossible to make a telephone call from most city offices and it was not until 5.30 p.m. that the volume of calls reached a normal size. Police officers, officials, and business men from buildings near the fire were embarassed throughout this time by being deprived of the use of the telephone when it was most needed.