DISCOVERY OF FIRE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 226, 18 May 1932, Page 5

DISCOVERY OF FIRE

(Press Assn.-

OUTBREAK AMIDSHIP JUST BEFORE DAWN PASSENGER DIES OF BURNS

— By Telegraph — Cop.yrlght.)

LONDON, Monday. The outbreak was discovered amidships as the liner was approaching the Gulf of Aden just before daybreak, but distress signals were withheld because Captain Vicq believed that Aden could he reached before the flames got out of control. Their fierce headway, however, being fed by inflammable paintwork fittings of the luxury liner created a desperate situation. The first 'S.O.S." was sent out at 5.54 a.m. The Contractor, Mahsud and Sovietskaia, which were all in the neighbourhood, exerted every ounce of power and used their wireless to announce their approach, which allayed any tendency to panic. They arrived on the scene at breakfast time and at once devoted themselves to rescue work. The French Ministry of Marine has been informed that 675 passengers and crew' have been rescued including Dr. Sze the Chinese delegate to the League of Nations who was tra1 velling from Shanghai. A director

says the vessel was fully insured, but will probably be a total loss. Danger From Oil Fuel The great stores of oil fuel on board were a terrible source of peril. The owners of the Philippar suspect incendiarism. As they had been threatened by Chinese Communists, a careful search for bombs was made at every port of call. A cairn sea facilitated the rescue work. The steamer Mahsud has sent a wireless message that a woman passenger succumbed to burns and was buried at sea. Unlucky Shxp The Philippar has been known as an unlucky ship ever since she took fire while being built. This was her maiden voyage. She was built to replace the Paullecat, which was destroyed by fire in 1928. The disaster occurred almost at the same spot, where the French liiier Asia took fire when carrying pilgrims to Mecca in 1930.