CITY OF BATH DELAYED

Evening Star, Issue 19793, 17 February 1928, Page 7

CITY OF BATH DELAYED

FIRE IN HOLD VESSEL HELD *1 POST CHALMERS The overseas steamer City of Bath has been delayed by a fire in No. 2 hold, and the vessel is now at Port Chalmers undergoing a thorough investigation. After she left the Dunedin wharf yesterday afternoon to proceed to Launceston and Sydney to discharge the balance of her cargo, which includes over 30,000 cases of petrol, smoke was observed coming out of No. 3 hatchway. That hatchway gives access to the after part of No. 2 hold, where a large amount of cargo was stowed, the forward portion of the hold having been cleared of cargo by discharge through No. 2 hatchway. Immediately the smoke was seen issuing from the hatchway men went into the hold, and a fire hose was passed down. The smoko was found to lie coming from a number of cases containing leaf tobacco, and the fire was quickly put out, the damage being slight. Instead of being taken to sea, the steamer was berthed at Port Chalmers (and a gang of men employed to shift all the cargo at the after end of the hold, in order that the fullest investigation might bo carried out and precautions taken against a further outbreak. , The watersiders were still shifting cargo to-day. The after end of No. 2 hold, where the fire’, occurred, is separated by a .bulkhead from the coal bunkers, and the investigations will include an examination of the contents of the bunkers, in order to ascertain whether the coal is heated. Tljo petrol was not in the Fold wliQi'6 the fire took place, it being stowed away from the machinery department.