FIRE ON THE IONIC.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9152, 22 May 1908, Page 5

FIRE ON THE IONIC.

THE HOLD FLOODED,

CARGO TO. EE DISCHARGED.

Per Press Association.

Wellington, May 21. At eight o’clock this morning the hatches on tiie lonic’s forehold were taken off and the fire was found to he burning fiercely. The plates of the vessel were hot. The chemical engines are hard at work, but apparently are not making much headway. It is possible that the whole of the hold will have to be flooded with the aid of the tug Terawhiti. The construction of the hold is different“from that of the Turakina, inasmuch as it is possible to flood that part of the vessel without injuring the other part of the cargo. Wellington, May 31.

After toiling unceasingly all night with chemical appliances, and entertaining hopes* or success, the firefighters on board the lonic had to admit defeat.- The Harbour Board staff continued to Inject carbonic acid gas into the hold all night, and the ship’s own appliances were also kept going right through the night. At eight o’clock this morning success seemed to have been attained, and it was considered safe to open the upper hatch, and let the fumes and steam clear away. For a time all went well. The steam, freed from captivity, curled upwards in great white clouds, but doubts soon fled, as smoke, with a distinct odour, commenced to mingle with the steam.

Hardly an hour had passed when a labourer standing near the hatchway declared that he had seen flames, but the dense fumes prohibited any possibility of verifying his statement. There was no doubt, however. that the file was not extinguished, and it was clear that it was making rapid headway. The captain of the lonic, who knew that the seat of the fire was on the starboard side of the ’tween decks of No. 1 hold, climbed over the side of his vessel, let himself down by means of a rope ladder, and felt the plates of the big steamer. The manner in which he lifted his hand was’sufficient answer.

Meantime the hatches had been closed up again, firmly battened down, covered with canvas, and generally rendered as near airproof as possible, but the temporary uncovering let volumes of oxygen in to the hold, and the decks round the hatches began to show signs of the intense heat below.

The putting of chemical appliances into action was again contemplated, but after a consultation ?between Captain Evans, Captain Carter, Captain Bendall (Lloyd’s surveyor), and Acting-Superinten-dent O’Brien (of the City Fire Brigade), it was decided to flood the hold.

The Union Company’s powerful tug Terawhiti had been lying alongside the lonic since yesterday afternoon, and the Fire Brigade’s steam engine was situated at an easy distance from the vessel. “Off with the hatches” came the order. The men knocked away the pegs, and tore off a plank or two, just sufficient to admit the water. A man called from the deck of the lonic to the engineers on the Terawhiri to “let her go.” and in a couple of seconds two huge pumps and three leads of hose were forcing water into the hold of the burning steamer at the rate of 12,000 tonsj|per hour. The fire brigade also let their euigne “go” to the tune of 1000 gallons per minute, projected through three separate leads of hose, and six leads were being fed off the City supply. Altogether over 15,000 tons of water wefe beingfpoured into the hold every hour. The cargo in No. 1 hold consists of about 18,000 bales of flax, £350 casks of tallow, 820 bales of wool, some pelts, and a small quantity of general cargo. The whole will be damaged by water, and a considerable quantity must necessarily have been destroyed by fire. When the’flooding is completed, and the water pumped out again the cargo will have to be discharged. Perhaps a portion of the flax and the wool can be dried out and saved, but the loss in any case must be considerable. Frozen meat is stowed in the hold adjoining No. 1, and, although it is stated that the temperature has not risen,"it is difficult to see how such cargo can escape without injury. It is understood that when the damaged cargo is discharged the lonic will proceed on her voyage to London. In two hours and a half the hold in the lonic was flooded. A hole was made in the side of the vessel by cutting away a “sealed” porthole, and through this the water gushed with great energy when the surface of the water had reached the level of the port hole. The Terawhiti will be commissioned to pump out what remains.

It is anticipated that the work of discharging the cargo will be commenced to-night. The Marine Deaprtment has ordered an inquiry into the cause of the fire. Dr, McArthur, S.M., will preside and Mr W. G. Foster and Oapt. Blackburn will be associated with him. It will be remembered that these three gentlemen comprised the, Wool Fires Commission. They were among the most interested of the spectators who were allowed to view the fire from the decks of the steamer this morning. At a late hour to-night the water with which the lonic No. 1 hold was flooded had been pumped out to the extent of eight or nine feet, and <( some cargo discharged from that and No. 2 hold for examination. The Company hope to despatch the steamer for London on Sunday.