Fires in island ferry

Press, 12 April 1979, Page 20

Fires in island ferry

PA Auckland The Waiheke Island ferry Iris Moana caught fire twice on Tuesday, just a few weeks after an $BO,OOO overhaul. The old ferry was 15 minutes out from Waiheke on her 3.30 p.m. crossing from Auckland when one of the 50 passengers on board noticed a fire in the woodwork around the funnel. There were no flames —

just thick smoke pouring from the smouldering woodwork. Passengers helped a deck hand to cut away some of the lining around the funnel to get to the seat of the fire. An extinguisher was used to eliminate the danger. But according to one of the passengers. Mr N. Parker, things could have been much worse. “The woodwork had

smouldered away right up to the funnel,” he said. “There could easily have been a tragedy. “There appeared to be no lifejackets about, and of the three extinguishers on board only one appeared to be working. “The liferafts were up on the cabin top and I had to climb up there to have a look at them. If it had caught fire there would have been chaos. “There were a lot of elderly people and children on board, and the whole thing was pretty terrifying.” The island fire brigade was called when the Iris Moana berthed at Matiatia. As firemen damped down every ember in the woodwork and lining around the funnel, another fire broke out in the engineroom. It was quickly extinguished. A director of North Shore Ferries, Mr J. R. B. Kingston, said he could not comment on the fires until he had received a full report. The ferry was just back in service after a survey during which the company had spent about $BO,OOO, he said. “I know that she complies with all the requirements laid down by' the Ministry of Transport," he said.