Fire on the Waitangi.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 354, 20 March 1908, Page 2

Fire on the Waitangi.

A telegram was received last Thursday from Hokianga Heads stating that a fire was discovered in the port bunkers of tbe Northern Steamship Company’s s.s. Waitangi while the vessel was lying alongside the wharf at Uponuni.

Farther particulars of the fire which occurred on board the s.s. Waitangi at Op&noni on Wednesday state that when the fire was discovered at 10. 30 p.m alii hands were called oat, and tbe fire bo3e mounted, but owing to the thick smoke no one could enter the engineroom to start the pumps, so tbe crew had to fail bask on the backets. The steamer was anchored in the stream, and A-e boats were swung out in case it should be necessary to leave the ship. The blow*, down pipe from tbe boiler burst with the ' result that tbe engine room was filled with steam. Tbe fire was got under after about an hour, and as the engine room was now couaparitively free of steam, tbe pump was brought into use, the flames being then quickly subdued. All the woodwork of tbe bunker in which the fire originated was burst, as were several lead pipes, wb'le tbe feed pipe for the port engine burst. The engineers fitted blind flanges on these pipes, and the eogine-room was put in order for run to Onehunga. The origin of the fire is a mitter for conjecture* the theory advanced on the steamer being that a spark from a hand lamp dropped into tbe bunker, which had profa ibly been smouldering foe some time.