FIRE AT SEA

Hokitika Guardian, 4 January 1928, Page 4

FIRE AT SEA

A U XILT ARY SCH OON KR DESTROYED. AUCKLAND, Jan. 2. Graphic details of the rescue by the Royal mail steamer Niagara of the crew of the Doris Crane, which was burned 350 miles north of Hawaii on December 20th. were given by passengers on the Niagara, when the steamer reached Auckland to-day. When the Doris Crane an auxiliary schooner of London, loaded with copra, was 10 days out from Fanning Island to San Francisco, tire broke out in the engine-room through the overturning of a tin of benzine early in the morning on December 19th. Her crew of 15, five Americans and TO (iilbert Island natives, fought the (lames throughout almost one day. One of tin' islanders on duly in the enginerom at the time of the outbreak was soverly burned before he could lie rescued, and he died from his injuries later in the day, while another man was seriously burned. The ship was finally abandoned early on December 29 ill The reflection of Ibo burning wreck was sighted from the Niagara., which was on route from Vancouver to Honolulu, shortly after I a.m. on December 20th. The Niagara was then 20 miles from file burning schooner, and she altered her course to go to the rescue, arriving alongside the derelict at 5.50 a.m. A boat- containing six survivors was picked up. and later n second boat containing eight men. the master. Claptain Davidson, being in one of the teats. By. 7 a.m. the schooner had burned to the water’s edge and tho masts fell.' Tho derelict was still smouldering when the Niagara left.

The survivors were taken to llonoInti ’-n lie Niagara. The experiences ..,i in fighting the Halms were t'vrifying. The first Ihcv knew of the •a"I break was when Berei. lb” flilhert Island engineer, dashed from the c-'giiic-rcom a living torch of flames. The rest of the crew concentrated in attempting to confine tho outbreak to t 1 engine-room with fire extinguishers a>d water. Finally, after ]8 hours’ continuous fire fighting, ii was decided t • abandon the shin when it was a me .s of flames fore and aft. When t)i” survivors reached 11m Niagara all w re soon hod or blackened.