It shall be the duty of the chief of the fire department, or the assistant chiefs or the foreman of any fire company lawfully acting in his stead, in all cases of fire, to take and have control of all members of the fire department and of all proper means for the extinguishment of fires, the protection of property, the preservation of order at and in the vicinity of fires and to secure the observance of this Code and all ordinances and regulations respecting fires. After the engines and other apparatus for its extinguishment have been withdrawn from any fire, he shall have charge of the premises and shall cause a strict watch to be kept about the same for a period of 24 hours or until the fire shall have been entirely extinguished.
(1964 Code, § 10-17)