FIRE ON OCEAN LINER.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3340, 19 November 1919, Page 4

FIRE ON OCEAN LINER.

._.0\_..:0—?...—-—. .. TIMAB-‘U, this day. At :1 quarter past midnight a fire was discovered in the starboard side of No. 3 hold in the steamer Westmoreland, lying at number three wharf, loading frozen meat for Home. The vessel was due to sail today. The vessel touched ground on the voyage from the Blufi ‘:SO Dunedin in May last, and until last week was lying in Port Chalmers undergoing extensive repairs. The ship was loaded with 50,000 care-ases of melat here. The fire was amongst the fia‘:'r loaded at POll3 Chalmers. The ‘ship’s engines ‘soon got. to work, and it was found necessary to call on the Borough fire brigade. Hoses were soon playing on the flames, one through 9. out in the deck plates, and another through the door leading to the hold. By seven o’elock the outbreak was suppressed, zilthough the fl-3.); was still smoulder: ing. Tho- bl'igades are Standing by in the meantime. The cargo of flax will be discharged as soon as possible, also the consignment of WOOI in the adjoining hold, which will require tu be oxe.mine.(l. The Outbreak will cause the steamer to be detained lmre till Saturday or Monday. As far" as can be.a.seertaine«l_. the steamer has sustained no serious structural damage, and in the meantime meat loading operations are Lining continued. The vessc-l’s itinerary 3.; not likely to be seriously illtQl"‘l;_z_‘ylnd,