NAUTICAL ENQUIRY

Hokitika Guardian, 17 February 1925, Page 4

NAUTICAL ENQUIRY

EXPLOSION ON SCOW. AFOKI.AND, February 15. A nautical inquiry is to he opened at the Magistrate’s Court on Monday, before .Mr E. 0. Cutteii. S.M., to investigate tho cause of the explosion which occurred cai the auxiliary scow Kaiaki at Auckland cm November 25 of last year. The following assessors have been appointed by the Minister for Marine: - Captain T. Braidaood. master mariner; Professor ,F. Worley, Mr R. Lowe, ■shipwright, and Air M. Paterson, marine engineer. Besides being an inquiry into the cause of this particular incident, it is probable that the whole question of the carriage of benzine in vessels uill he discussed, that, is why four assessors of different professions have been appoint-

Tilt l , inquiry "ill be of considerable interest to mariners, whipping companies, more limits, anil others tor that reason. The explosion on the Kninin occurred at about six o’clock in ihe evening, "lien the ve.ss.cj was anchored oil’ the Nelson Street wharf. One of the crew, Charles Singer, had gone off to the vessel in a boat to light the riding light, lie filled a hurricane lamp in the forepeak, and when he went to light the lamp a terrific explosion took place, and blew two holes in the vessel’s bow, besides lifting the forepeak scuttle hatch and, setting fire to the vessel. 'l’lie water that found its way through the damaged bow, however, put the lire out.

The seaman had a miraculous esc apt from death, as he was light in \

midst of the explosion, lie was badly burned about the hands and lody. and was admitted to the hospital. The Kninin had a narrow escape from lieing totally destroyed, ns there were about 1290 cases of benzine stored in tbe hold on the after .side of the peak bulkhead. The water which found its way into the peak caused the Kaiaia to sink by the bow until her foredeck was awash, hut the c-r-ses of oil in the hold kept the remainder of the vessel alloat until she "as towed into shallow water.