Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

STEAMER AFIRE.

AT SYDNEY WHARF. PASSENGERS SAVED IN NIGHT ATTIRE. STEWARD DENIES SECURING LADY'S BELONGINGS. (BT CABLE—PRBS3 ASSOCIATION—COF«»I«*rt ' (AVSTHALUX AND S.Z. CABLE ASSOCUTIO3.) SYDNEY, Juno SO. A disastrous tiro occurred at 3 o'clock this morning on the inter-State steamer Canberra, berthed at King street wharf. Tho firo had a strong hold when it was discovered, and the whole vessel amidships was soon Avrappcd in flames which reached as high as tho tunnel. Practically all the passenger accommodation was ablaze. Soma of t«o passengers and crew were trapped, and four women wet* brought t;V tho wharf iu a semi-con-scious condition. Considerable difficulty wa* experienced in getting the stewards o ut. Thero wero between 40 and 50 people aboard at tho time, and their losses wore considerable, practically aU having to make their escape in their night attire.

O.viniT to the vessel being held up by the shipping dispute, there wcr© no firemen nboard, and tho electric lighta were disconnected at midnight. It will bo some, mouths before tft* steamer is again seaworthy. LaSer. Tho fire on tho Canberra has bc«u subdued. Tho daniago was very severe, particularly amidships. When tho firemen penetrated to t&o saloon they found tho body of a stew*aad, Jteginald Ctaythorne, «f Melbourne Ho had apparently been orefcomo and succumbed to tho flames. Craythorue was engaged in rescue work, and had niado several trips carrying semi-conscious passengers and stewardesses to safety. ll© was last seen returning nboard to niako a further search.

Tho Cauberra was pumped full of water, to subduo tho flames, and has uow taken a dangerous .list. [The Canberra is a steel twin screwsteamer of 7710 tons. Sho was buifc jn 1913 at Glasgow and is owned by Australian Steamships Proprietary Ltd.]

ORIGIN A MYSTERY. DAMAGE AT LEAST £20,000. . (Received June *»*> th, 7.23 p.m.) i-NEY, June 30. Tho origin of tho iiro on tho Canberra is so far a i»yst«ry« It is reported that there were two separate outbreaks. There are rumours of possible incendiarism, bnt until the potke conclude their investigations the position is doubtful.

The -fire destroyed cabins, saloons, smoke rooms, and tho crew's quartet* amidships, charring and blisteriue the outside plates. There are indications that it started behind the second dais dining saloon. Tho Cacberra< was recently tboroughly overhauled, and was pra'ctieaHy » new ship. The damage is roughly estimated afc over £20,000, bat the full extent will not be revealed until a. careful examination is possible. Tho fir© was discovered by a watchman etvrly in the morn-inR. It ***** h»4 a good hold. Some 80 passengers tad the crew were sleeping aboard. Tho stewards and stewardesses atied with great coolness and daring. Balking about the ship amid tho choking Smoke and flames at danger to their own lire 6, they roused tho sleeper*, aft of whom managed to escape, some in their night clothes only. A number lost all their belonginßS. - Two stewardesses remaining on duty till the last found their retreat cot oft and were rescued by a ladder.

Craytborne brought a stewardess and a lady passenger ashore. At the* request of the passenger he returned . aboard to secure some of her belongings. While on this mission he was overcome by smoke. His body was later recovered in the music room. The large quantities of water pumped aboard gave the Canberra a dangeroa* list, but tho water was biter pnssped out and tho danger of the vessel capsizing averted.

INCENDIARISM SUSPECTED. DEAD STEWARD'S HEROISM. (Ecceivcd Juno 30th, 10.3 pan.) SYDNEY, Jane 30. The detectives who are investigating the fire aro greatly hampered by la* conflicting stories or those who were aboard, who, owing to the state of excitement they were in when they were roused arc unable to definitely locate the starting place of the fire. ■&&• ~ though incendiarism is suspected, J*» ■ evidence so far is available. All those aboard at the time ef the outbreak are loud in their praise 0* Graythorne's heroism, stating that he kept returning to the burning ship hewing others out. Tho Fire Brigade chief said the oatbreak was the hardest which the Ear- , ,;.;• boar Fire Brigade had ever b«n called j oa to quell. *j|

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19250701.2.66

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18422, 1 July 1925, Page 9

Word count
Tapeke kupu
688

STEAMER AFIRE. Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18422, 1 July 1925, Page 9

STEAMER AFIRE. Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18422, 1 July 1925, Page 9

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert