ESCAPE FROM INFERNO

Hokitika Guardian, 18 February 1921, Page 3

ESCAPE FROM INFERNO

MARVELLOUS RESCUE IN SYDNEY H ARIJOUR. SYDNEY, Kell. S. 'J’lie csciipt 1 of Alfred •), Lewis, the refrigerating engineer of the cargo .steamer Cornwall. Irom \v’ at appeared certain death, on Saturday aiternooii, ii one of the most remarkable. The Cornwall, where she lay at her berth, had been coaling, and the main bunker was nearly full. About noon on Saturday it was discovered that the coal iu this bunker was on lire, deep down. The ollieers discussed the situation, and decided that an examination would have to he made. Lewis and Mi Harp, the seventh engineer, volun- ( tcored for this work. .Moiing cautious- j ly, thev entered the hunker and started to walk across the heap of coal. I Without a moment’s warning, the j co il collapsed under them. The into- j rior had been burnt out, ami they were walking on a crust. Mellaigj managed t<> rotafn his looting on a | firm place, hut Lewis was pieoi'pitated into a blazing mass of dust and smoke. It is estimated that lie 101 123 feet. I* L looked like the end of Lewis. EL me> began to mount through the biokeii

eril.it. I .Mcflarg crept hack out of the hunker, j •nit! Oil vo the alarm. The officers ami men gathered, ami some were for making an attempt.- to go down through tlT* blazing coal ami seek tor the unfortunate man. But one look at the bunker was enough. It did not seem, po. siblc f or |,owin to lenmin alive for two minutes down in that inferno. Still hop--jng, however, they went down to the bulkhead adjoining the bunker, and there, while standing wondering how they were going to recover the body, they heard knocking. Lewis has since told that when lie fell down amidst the blazing coal he fought like a tiger fiJr life- He knew that if he could reach the bulkhead he might have a chance, so he began to dig through the burning coal with his left hand. He tried to save his right knowing; that if he escaped, a hand that had been used as a fire shovel would not be much use. He suffered torture, particularly in his mouth and lungs, but he somehow fought through to the bulkhead. He searched frantically and found an air-trunk—ir small hole through the iron plates. He lay down beside it am! breathed in the cleaner tdr. Then lie got a piece of coal and hammered on the bulkhead. The men outside heard it and spuing tw activity. They procured a bellows and began to pump air through the hole to the man inside. Without question, this saved his life. But he was frightfully burned, and his knocking was getting weaker and weaker. Trgent messages brought two gangs of men with oxy-ncctyjpne appliances, an I they began to cut a hole in the iron bulkhead. After half-an-liour’s work, a hole was made big enought to lot » men get in, and he dragged U*wis. now imeonscioiis, to safety. He may iecover, hut his condition is still very ' oifioal. He certainly lias the will to live.