SWIMMING IN BURNING OIL

Shannon News, 25 June 1926, Page 2

SWIMMING IN BURNING OIL

40 DEATHS ON FIRE SHIPS. MILES OF FLAMES. The authorities have been attempting to determine the casualties in a series of explosions which occurred aboard three vessels in the Mississippi River. An explosion, first occurred in the 5,G00 ton New York oil tanker O. J. Waring, in dry dock at New Orleans.

Forty-seven men were early known to have been injured, and at least five were reported killed. The second, explosion wa-s due to a collision some 20 miles below New Orleans between the Dutch 5,800-ton steamer Silvanus and ,a 7,000-ton New York tanker, the Thomas Wheeler.

Thirty-five of the crew of 50 on the Silvanus were reported, to be missing.

Drifting Afire, for Eleven MileS,

After drifting afire for 11 miles below* Pointe a la Haclie, the Silvanus sank.

Several, men belonging to the crew of the Thomas Wheeler were badly injured in the collision. Shortly after the collision a severe explosion occurred on board the Silvanus, which was bound for London, with a cargo of benzine. A few minutes later the Silvanus ran against the bank, when a minor explosion occurred.

That impact with the river bank threw the Silvanus back into the stream, where the current caught her and carried her down stream. ( As slated, she had been carried 11 miles before she was burned to the water's edge and sank. Fifteen of the crew of the Silvanus were brought in. One of them, a Chinaman, who was badly burnt, said that the Dutch ship was nearly cut in two. The sailors on board rapidly gathered together and discussed their chance of escaping death. Some Dead in Fiery River. Blazing benzine on the surface of the water made the situation very dangerous.

Of the 35 Chinese on board, only 12 were powerful enough to dive and remain under water until they were past the burning oil. These 12 took the plunge and escaped. Several others who jumped perished.

All the men stripped before diving,