HULK IN FLAMES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1875, 8 October 1913, Page 7

HULK IN FLAMES.

' WHILE COALING HOME LINER. . (By Telefrapli.—Press Association.) Chrlstohurch, October 7. At ten minutes to four this morning tho Lyttelton Fire Brigade was called out to attend to an outbreak of fire on board the Blackball Coal Company's steel hulk .Waiiti, which was lying on tho east side of No. 7 wharf and alongside the New Zealand Shipping Company's liner Opawa. The firo was in tlio boiler house on tho -after-deck. When the brigade arrived tho boiler house was a mass of flames, notwithstanding the fact that the crew of the Opawa were already playing the ship's hoso on tho conflagration. A good supply of water .was available, and after about half an. hour's work the brigjde ■was successful in quenching the flames. How the outbreak occurred is unknown. It is stated that when coaling operations on board the Opawa ceased at midnight everything appeared to be perfectly safe. The whole of the boiler houso will have to bo renowed, and it is likely that repairs will have to bo effected; to ■ tho" boiler,.' and some of the machinery. No damage was done to the Opawa, which sailed this morning for tho Bluff and Suva. Tho timely action of the crew of the latter vessel, however, saved tho situation from becoming a serious one.