SHIP ON FIRE IN TEN PLACES

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28264, 30 April 1957, Page 12

SHIP ON FIRE IN TEN PLACES

Outbreaks In Migrant Vessel (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 29. The immigrant ship Captain Cook, berthed at Queen’s wharf, was on fire in 10 places this evening. Fires began almost simultaneously shortly, after 7 p.m. in 10 passenger cabins, and it was nearly an hour before they were all put out. A member of, the crew, who refused to give his name, said that some of the crew started the fires as a protest at the treatment they had been receiving. He claimed that these members of the crew had thrown some of the ship’s gear overboard on the voyage to New Zealand. The master of the ship (Captain A. Bankier) would make no comment on the fires. ’

A full-scale police investigation began as soon as the fires had been extinguished. Late tonight no arrests had been made.

during the day, except for families whose children were suffering from measles. When fire broke out the remaining passengers and the crew were quickly evacuated. The children with measles, and their parents, were taken to the Wellington Public Hospital. The parents later returned to the ship for the night. Most pf the crew going ashore took liquor with them. Some bad to be carried down the gangway. Extent Of Damage The Secretary of Labour (Mr H. L. Bockett) would not comment when asked about the possibility of sabotage. Nor could he give any indication of the damage, though he said the fire did not appear to have done any structural damage. It was too early, he added, to say whether the fire would affect the sailing date of the ship. This was set down for next Monday. The Government was responsible for the insurance of the ship, Mr Bockett £aid. This had been taken out by the agents (the New Zealand Shipping Company, Ltd.) on behalf of the Government through the Shipping Protection Club.

At 11 p.m. a police photographer boarded the vessel, and about the same time a detective from the wharf police took ashore a burnt drawer containing several bottles. Two members of the uniformed police had been stationed at the foot of the ship’s gangway all today. They were among the first on the scene when the alarm was given. Eight uniformed policemen and two detectives are spending tonight in the ship. Inspector G. E. Callaghan, head of the wharf police, spent several hours in the ship tonight. He said he and his men would use all their resources to catch those responsible for the fires. Police inquiries were hampered by the intoxicated state of some members of the crew. Captain Bankier was among the first at the fires. Warned by the fire indicator on the bridge he immediately sealed off watertight doors in the ship and went to the seat of the fires. His action in sealing the doors is believed to have prevented greater damage. Four Engines Attend Four engines from the central fire station arrived at Queen’s wharf to find that a fire had a firm hold on two cabins on B deck. The entire area was engulfed in thick smoke, and firemen had to put on oxygen apparatus before they could fight their way to the seats of the outThe B deck fires were barely under control when firemen had to concentrate their efforts on two cabins on the deck beneath. Mr Bruce said that as soon as his men put out one fire they had to look for another. When at 8 p.m. no fire danger remained, outbreaks in 10 cabins had been dealt with. Four of the cabins were badly burned, and the others superficially damaged. The heavy smoke that hampered the firemen billowed from mattresses, which were the seat of the fires in each of the cabins. In some of the cabins it was only a mattress that was burned. Two Taken to Hospital Two members of the crew of the Captain Cook were taken to hospital after being overcome by fumes from the fires. They are Messrs G. McLachlan and W. White. The Captain Cook was not due to berth until 8 a.m. today, but berthed some hours earlier to land a sick woman. The ship reached Wellington last night from Glasgqw. She carried 1040 migrants. Most of the passengers left