LINER ON FIRE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2138, 2 May 1914, Page 6

LINER ON FIRE

OUTBREAK IN BUNKERS OF S.S. TOKOMARU

IN GISBORNE ROADS

MIDSHIP CARGO DAMAGED

(By Telegraph— Press Association.) Bfsborno, May 1. A disquieting import that the coal bunkers on the stpamer Tokomaru, now in Oisborne roadstead, were on fire wa6 brought ashore about 10.30 this tuortiiugj hut as tho steamer had not signalled for any assistance, it was not considered that tho outbreak was of a ssrious nature. Subsequent events, however, proved otherwise. A lighter, with meat, was taken out on the - ship's arrival, and a start made to transfer the meat to the Homo liner, but the nics.i could not. work iii the hold owing to. fumes coming through tho hold, it being situated next to the bunkers. Several attempts were made, but each time trie m«n had to return to the deck. The hntclics on the lighter wero then closed down, and work was suspended until 1 o'clock. Port Pire Plant Signaled For, Thinking that Captain Bosdet might not know that the Harbour Board iiad powerful pumps on the dredge Jcin Town ley, Mr. M'Donald, tlio Harbour Board's engineer, sent out word that fire-fighting appliances were available. At the same time instructions were issued to get tho John Townley in readiness. . Whether or not, as the outcome of this message, <Sr because tho outbreak had assumed a more serious aspect., about noon a signal cam© from tho 'i'okoihahi asking that immediate assistance be sent out. Tlio firebell was rung to muster the- members of tho brigade, and the John Townley conveyed thcra out to the steamer. A largo crowd assembled at*-th© wharf, but none of tho public were permittc-d to go out oil the dredge. Sseno on Board. Tlio John Townley, was driven along at full speed, and ran out to the Home sdamer iu one of the quickest trips, probably, that she has ever' made. Bho reached the steam6r at 12.30, and a few. minutes later was moored alongside. Three hatches stood open, and a fairly large volume of smoke was pouring forth. The, deck was bestrewn with h-aso and other gear, whilst a. number of the- crew, under the supervision of Captain Bosdct, and headed by the chief ofiicer, had . apparently been, strenuously at work attempting to suppress tho outbreak. The densest volume of smoke and the greatest heat wero coming from tho middle bunker, jttst- abreast of the funnel. Pumping operations were begun by the dredge, and continued for about a quarter of an hour, but wero then suspended whilst- a couple of firemen scrambled down into tho hatch to 'investigate. Thefeo firemen found that there was a considerable amount of h at in a bunker opposite tho funnel, and,'in parts, tho woodwork was eo. hot that it was impossible to tench it. Tlie; fire appeared to bo towards the bottom of the bunker, and bad been, working upward. Hy 1 o'clock tho firemen were called off, and Captain. Bosdeb intimated to Deputy-Superintendent Wildish that, ho . thought further as-sistanco was unnecessary. ' . • Seat of the Fire. Questioned by a reporter, Captain Bosdct said that tho Ji.ro was in ibaport coal 'bunker- amidships, which, at tho ' part affected, contained .about 180 tons of coal, this being part, of this 1400 tons which the bunker .contained.' There hud been, no appearance of danger on tho previous slay, lnit, last evening, he had found it advisable- to, close down all hatches. Ok removing these this morning it was found that tho tire had substantially developed, and this necessitated other measures. The ship's pumps had therefore been requisitioned, and Severn 1 leads of hose wero directed into tho bunker, whilst a hole was, also ciiS in the deck, through which water was poured. Tlio Damage to Cargo, Asked as to, the extent <>f the damage, the captain said that about 400 Hales of wool, stacked near the bridge deck, had bo-en affected by water, and this wool was being unloaded and sent ashore to bo dried and rebated. Ia response to. a further question as to tho cause of.the outbreak, Captain Bosdct said that, as. far as bo coiiM tell, it was the heat from, tlio funnel that had penetrated to the coal in the bunker. Ithad been very difficult to get at the outbreak owing to tho quantity of coal in the 'bunker; Tho steamer is practically a full ship, having loaded', at Timoru, Port Chalmers, aiid Napier. In the course of in- j quiries a pressman-, heard that out- : breaks of a minor nature are no uncommon thing -on shipboard where large j quantities of coal aro held iu tho bunkers, and. it- appears that there has been a suspicion of. lire on-the Tokomaru for about- ten days. In fact, it was on board that the particular pocket of the bunker whore- the trouble is located had been. saturated with water at ono of the other ports, and it was thought that tho fire-had been suppressed. The quantity of water lias been pump*>d into the vessel has given the ship a decided list, so much so that it was apparently deemed prudent not io attempt to further flood tho huriksr.

Fire Extinguished. Advice was received at 3.40 this afternoon by the local shipping agents that the fire had been .extinguished, ap.d that tlio damage to t!i« cargo was confined to about 400 bales of wool. It is intended to resume loading operations at- 4 a.m. to-jHorrow. Tlie ship's agents advise that the dama-go is coufi/ied entirely to the bunker and the wool in the adjoining hold, and that the c,irgo of frozen moat is in no way affected. It is impossible as yet to ascertain to wjint extent the ship herself is .damaged.

OTHER PARTICULARS. LIGHTERING DAMAGED CARGO. The Tokomaru .came out to New Zealand on her present trip in ballast in order to load frozen meftt, wool, and general cargo as expeditiously as Possible, as tlie forwarding of her .shipments had been delayed owing to tlio effects of the strike. The vessel made her first frill at Timarii on April 15, and then proceeded to Port C'linlmors, Napier, and :Gisborne. From tlie lastmentioned port she was to proceed to Whangarei. She has about 00,000 carcasses of mutton under hatches, and about oGQO bates of general earsro, these including, wool, sheepskins, fallow, etc.

Early last- evening tlu> local office of the Shaw, Savill, and Albion C-'o. ro-ce-ivecl advice from tho Napier agents, intimating that- tho fire, as far as could be ascertained,' Was extinguished. JJe-twec-n four and five hundred bales of damaged woirl—only cargo damaged, and which was shipped at Napier—was being discharged into lighters.

Ship anii tier officers. Thp fttommor was originally named the Westmcatli, and was built in 1.893, by Jlessvs. C. S. Swan and Hunter, of Newcastle, to Hie order of Mr. R. M. Hudsol'i. When she arrived in London. in 1851-1, from her maiden voyage to Australia, she was purchased by llie Shaw. SaviH, and Albion Company, and altered to meet the requirements of the wifgg (.ratlfi tmUvwi L-omkm ami Now Zealaiid. Siase that time ska lias almost-

continually been engaged in that trade, iilic 5.3 a sitol screw steamer of tons. gross.

Captain V. J. H. Bosdet, E..N..U,, is in command of tliu Tokomnrii, and has fisEfitiawi:! with him the following officers;— Chief, Mr. J'\ Kidman; second, Mr. S. M. James <cs Arawa); third, Mr. A. CI. Freeborn; fourth, ,Mr. M. Yore. Mr, E. Rausbottom (ex I'akeha) is chief engineer; Mr. W. Kidgewav, second; Mr.' A. Walker, third; Mr. W. Allen fourth; and Mr..}. Marshall, fifth. The chief refrigerator engineer is Mr. W. Stewart, and Mr. H. Montgomery (ex Waiuiajnt) second; Mr. J. li. Trcwellor-Williams- is Marconi operator, and the stcward-iti-charge is Mr. H, J. Davis.