FIRE ON A STEAMER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1211, 21 August 1911, Page 6

FIRE ON A STEAMER.

TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE OF AN OFFICER. ROCKETS EXPLODING IN CABIN. Tho first and second officers of tho Steamer Wallarah nro at present inmates of the Nowcastlo (New South \\ ata) llospital as a result of a terrible expericncc on board the steamer recent!}. ill « lanih was lying in Catherine, Iliilßaj. preparatory to taking in c'on*, M'Conachie, tho first °^ c 'i._ n : nrr ; n a M'Guire, second mate, S-houEc. cabin on. tho deck belon the coll^in i u <r Stored in the cabin Y-f, a „f ,Lkets an 3 a considerable quantitj of y signal lights. At about two^ otiicera were auakenecL b> through by fireworks having ig^' in a "flre "m a veritable inferno ot v »» l stifling fumes they "")Wfortunburnt ami almost blui > o(fi > w j lo out of the box,.i3-so.sevneh injurea his condition is lle ?c"K c ' critical.. Tho ss^sp&tejpai wu "sre.s; .ssm e af,!- '.3 ing in tho >I !® r c r j.^ e ca bin enveloped was awakened to find (o bo gating in Samfe. inp ore set of flame across the cabin. J.on„ rol md the top over my head, and licked_iou: berth, m which the fi ( f uttel . a you move, can yon scc _ «Tt legs' swinging over the ond 1 sa» ..Jim * lc n T . arra over side of tho bcrjth. . . ■ P ou t of mv bunk, my face, and, tumbling p fire ho could, I told him to hang on to m shoulder.' Ho slipped to ducking my head, I made for the door, Tim lmrig on to me, and together wo scrambled up the ladder leading to tho deck above. We liad just rea<bed the deck whan" there" was an explosion that seemed.to.shake the ship. The rockets must liavo gono off." ' ' M'Guire stopped lus narrative, and lookin" at the bandages • w'hich;Jswathed Ins arms and part of his face, shook his head gravely. After a pause, herald:, t ' can tell you I thought I had handed in my ticket as we ivere getting out of tli* cabin. I. really don't know now how we got out. .Tim- couldn't see. IHe is all burned - round the eyes. • He just kept hold, of-.'Mo and followed,, as I blundered through* the-.fire..We were both-about done when wo got on to tho upper deck. : Jim collapsed:"l- sang out captain, and he'rushed out'of his cabin and turned out/the-men.' Lit a'few minutes tho hose 'was. playing into the cabin, .but by this'.'tinie the whole place Was on fire. A stretcher was .brought, and Jim was car-ried'-into a boat, and taken on board the steamer Illaroo,'which was moored near us. The fire was still burning as the Illaroo,; steamed out of the bay, taking us .to Newcastle."!