FORMER GERMAN PRIZE SHIP

Chronicle (Levin), 4 March 1946, Page 5

FORMER GERMAN PRIZE SHIP

Press Assn.-

SABOTAGiE ALlIEGED

By Telegraph

■Copyright

Received Sunday, 8.10 p.m. _Li^J.._A)i>i, iviarcii 3. The luxury lmer Enipird Waveney, the former German prize ship Miiwau kee, last night hlazed hercely in oue o, the higgest ship fires known at the Diverpool docks. A few minutes aftet the outbreak of the fire, the atter enr; of the ship was in flames, short-mas. iiigh, quicKly spread until the_ vesse was blazing from end to end. The ship iisted heavily to port aT firenien, mobii ised from the wliole Merseysid'e area. fought the blaze from fireboats. The belief is gaining ground that thi. fire, in addition to that on the Drojting nolme, was due to sabotage, says tli rress Association. The Bmpire W&v eney is ttie fifth ship to catch fire a -.iverpool in 24 hours and the eignt.. m a fortnight. Some of the other fires are believe. to ha . e originated.in cargo in the ship , fiolds and might have been due to ae cidental causes, including spontaneou. combustion, but as the Empire Waven ey had no cargo, the police and fir: experts are ciosely investigating thc cause of the outbreak. It is feared that the fire in the Eni pire Waveney will last for a'notner tw. days, until the liner is compiecely burn ed out. Mufi'led explosions were hear early today W'hen the fire reached sonu oil storage tanus deep m the heart o tne vessel. The flames, fed by tae fucj shot upward with a tremendous roa and the ship became an inferiio, ligrv mg up the wficle of the dock area. The firefighters, after aa order t, abandon the doomed vessel for fear o. the oiltanks hlowing up aird the vesse japsi .ing, concentrated on preventin. tne flames from spreading to the dock side buildings. From the quay aa irom two fireiioats novering as near t. the Exxipire Waveney as poosible, the piayed water constantly on the moorui ropes to prevent them hurumg through .vhich would have aliowed the ship ti drif t and menace other shipping. It had been feared t.iat the vesct might heel over and block the entranc to the whole series of docks, but soo, alter dayi.rean. s- eit ovr to poi. and rested against the do-1'~:'le. The damage to the Empire Wavenej is unoificially estimated to excee ; Dh,b00,000.