A Fire at Sea.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 1, Issue 57, 12 August 1890, Page 2

A Fire at Sea.

A Terrldle Experience. MELBOURNE, July 80. ■ The steamer .Elderslie, which arrived at Hobson Bay on the 29th inst., reports that a fire broke out soon after midnight on the 17th July, on the voyage from Freemantle to Albany. The outbreak was' discovered in the saloon by a passenger named Lowe, who gave the alarm, but whose sister failed to get up. The saloon was filled with smoke and flames, and all alone, cut off from human help,.Mies Loyre confined in her cabin, threatened by death : in the rhoat horrible form. She had the presence of mind, however, to keep the cabin door shut and opened the portholes, otherwise she might have been stifled. Meanwhile the captain, who was on the bridge at the time the fire broke out, on hearing the alarm, promptly issued orders to the officers and crew, and in a few moments the skylight over the saloon was broken and a hose was pouring down greet -volumes of water. The steerage pasengers had rushed on deckymost of them half-naked. Some were paralysed with fear, and some, with shrieks of terror, gave themselves up for lost. It was. an awful half-hour. The night was dark, a wild and bitter wind swept over the decks as mighty waves tossed the steamer to and fro, but the men worked with a will, stimulated to put forfcn their utmost exertions by the eries of an unfortunate lady, who struggled in vain to make her escape , through the porthole. Eventually the flames were sufficiently subdued for the third officer to' venture down the staircase, and to, help Miss Lowe from 'her cabin. ! The' hose, however, could not be brought to bear upon the captain's* «abin from the skylight,, and that, apartment was, still flaming fiercely. A hose was therefore taken down the alley-way leading to the officer’s quarters. A panel, in the partition separating the captain’s cabin from this passage was broken, and a jet .of water was pouVe.d through (the | 'aperture upon the flames, which quickly I quelled them. An immense amount

of damage was done. All the furniture and adornments in the saloon itself were completely destroyed. It is supposed that the rolling of the -vessel loosened the fastenings of a lamp which was kept burning through the night, and that being thrown down, it exploded. It seems' a marvel that the powder magazine, ;; which is in a corner of the saloon; did not blow up, as the blistered panelling of the place showed that the hot tongues; licked it hungrily.