Steamer on Fire.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 18 October 1917, Page 4

Steamer on Fire.

MAIL FOR NEW ZEALAND. i MELBOURNE, Oct. 3. ! The fire which was discovered in the fore-peak of an oversea steamer lying at Victoria Dock, Melbourne, on Tues- 1 night, was practically subdued by 12.30' this morning. The flames had eaten: their way through a wooden bulkhead,, and were then exposed to the full play, of the hoses. The fire commencedamong some bedding stores and mail matter in the fore-peak, under the fore- 5 castle. Considering the circumstances, | the vessel escaped with comparatively: little damage. > A quantity of bedding and mail mat-; ter was destroyed. The latter included; for the mcst part curios collected by ; Australip.il sddiers in Egypt and Meso-i potamia, which had been fcrwarded to relatives and friends, and were chiefly consigned to the eastern States. It is not anticipated that the sailing of tho vessel will be materially interfered with, but about 9ft of water has to be pumped out of the forward jjart, and' some necccnary overhauling done. The hold in which the fire occurred had been sealed up all yesterday, and as far as the offiiials were rware nobody had entered it.

The postal authoritiss advised that no letter mails were destroyed. The parcel mails includad 13 bag 3 for Sydney, ss'vcn for B'-'-stcnc. and six for New Zaalsnd, r.am tr:cps in Egypt; seven from Colombo for Sydney, one for Brisbane, and three for New Zealand, while from Port Said there were 17 for Sydney and four for Brisbane; from Aeon, three for Sydney; from Saigon, one for New Guinea. The whole c£ the parcels have been burnt exceptirg those containing metal. These have been damaged by lire, and, are practically useless.