LINER AFIRE

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 314, 21 December 1936, Page 5

LINER AFIRE

Madman Sets Fire To Ship At C’ A - Press Association—Copyright. London, December 19. The Daily Telegraph’s' Gothenburg correspondent reports a madman's attempt to set fire to the Swedish liner Gripsholm during a storm in midAtlantic. It was revealed on the arrival of the liner at Gothenburg that the madman w T as a.j former ship's mate travelling as a third-class passenger from San Francisco to Sweden. He set fire to the third-class dining room during the night. Christmas decorations blazed up and the whole room was. . soon a mass of flames .

The passengers,- numbeiing nearly 1000, were roused, lifebelts were issued and the lifeboats were swung out. The crew worked furiously but it was more than an hour before ths flames were subdued. Several passengers and members of the crew were overcome by the fumes. The man who started the blase was taken to a sick bay and. was certified on arrival at Gptherburg as insane. He was sent to a lunatic asylum.