Tokomaru on Fire

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 283, 2 May 1914, Page 5

Tokomaru on Fire

OUTBREAK IN COAL BUNKER. SHIP'S PUMPS INADEQUATE. ASSISTANCE SENT. FROM GISBORNff THE EIRE EXTINGUISHED. By Telegraph—Press Association. Ginbornc, Lost Night. A disquieting report that the coal bunkers on the steamer Tokomaru, now in ithe Cisborne roadstead, were on Are, was brought ashore about 10.30 this morning, but as the steamer had not signalled to the shore for any assistance it was not considered that the outbreak was of a serious nature. Subsequent events, however, proved otherwise. A lighter with meat was taken out on the ship's arrival and a start made to transfer the meat to tie Home liner, but the men could not work in the ibid, owing to fumes, the hold that was being worked being situated next to the bunkers. Several attempts were made, but each time the men had to return to the deck. - . The hatches on the lighter were then closed down, and work was suspended until one o'clock. Thinking that Captain Bosdet might not know that the Harbor Board had powerful pumps on the dredge John Townlcy, Mr. McDonald, engineer and secretary, Bent out word that fire-fighting appliances were available. At the same time, instructions were issued to get the John Townlcy in readiness. Whether or not as the outcome of this message, or because the outbreak had assumed a more serious aspect than was at first thought, at about noon a signal came from the Tokomaru asking that immediate assistance be sent out.

The firebell was rung to muster the members of the brigade, and the dredge John Townlcy convoyed them out to the steamer. A large crowd assembled at the wharf, but none of the public were permitted to go out on the dredge. Th'e John Townlcy was driven along aft full speed, and raced out to the Home steamer in one of the quickest trips that. probably she has ever made. The promptness with which assistance was despatched from the shore reflected much credit upon the secretary of the Board. The John Townley reached the Home steamer at 12.30, and a few minutes later was moored alongside. ' The scene that met one's view aboard ins in no way alarming to the unmti&ted landsmen. Three hatches on the port side amidships stood open, and a fairly large volume of smoke was pouring forth. The deck was bestrewn with hose and other gear, whilst a number of the crew, under the personal supervision of Captain Bosdet, and headed by the chief officer, had apparently been strenuously at work attempting to suppress tlie outbreak. The densest volume of smoke, and the greatest heat, were coming from the middle bunker top, just abreast of the funnel. Pumping operations were continued by the dredge for about a quarter of an hour, and were then suspended whilst a couple of firemen scrambled down to investigate. They found, there was a'considerable amount of heat in the bunker about opposite the funnel, and in parts the woodwork was so hot that it was impossible to touch it with' the hand. The ' lire appeared to them to be located towards the bottom of U"> bunker, and had been working up. By one o'clock the firemen were called ,oli\ and Captain Bc.sdct intimated to Deputy-Superinten-dent Wildish tliat he thought they would be able to keep the fire in control, and that the further assistance of the brigade was unnecessary. 'Questioned-as to the scene of the outbreak, Captain Bosdot said it was located in the port coal bunker amid« ships, which at tlie part affected coiu tained about 180 tons of coal, part of 1400 tons of coal tlie bunker contained. There was no appearance of any danger yesterday, ibut last evening he had found it advisable to close down all hatches. On removing these this morning, it wa» found that the Are had substantially developed, which necessitated other measures. The ship's pumps had been requisitioned, and several leads of hose wero directed into the bunker, whilst a hole was also cut in the deck, through which water was poured. Asked as to the extent of tlie damage, tlie captain said that- alfout 400 bales of wool stacked in the bridge deck had been damaged by water, and thus was being unloaded and sent ashore to bo dried ani re-baled.

In response to a further question, as lo the cause of the outbreak, Captain Bosdet said that as far as ho could tell it was the heat from the funnel that had penetrated to the coal stored in the bunker. It was found that it was very difficult to get at it, owing to the quantity of coal in the bunker. The steamer is practically a full ship, having loaded at Timaru, Port, Chalmers and Napier. On the completion of her loading here, the vessel goes to Whangarei to complete loading, and thenco proceeds to London on Tuesday or Wednesday next. /

Iu the course of enquiries, a pressman heard that outbreaks of a minor nature are no uncommon thing on shipboard where large quantities of coal are held in the bunkers. It appears that there has been a suspicion of Are for about ten days. In fact, it was stated on board that the particular pocket of the bunker where the trouble is located had been saturated with water at one of the other ports, and it was thought the fire had been suppressed. The quantity of water that has been pumped into the vessel has given the ship a decideJ list, so much so that it was apparently deemed prudent not to attempt to further flood the bunker,. Advice was received at 3.40 this afternoon by tho local shipping agents that the fire had been extinguished, and that the damage to the cargo was confined to j about 400 bales of wool. It is intended.' !to resume loading operations ,at 4 a.m. to-morrow. In the meantime air bags have been let down into the hold in order to extract the-fumes. Some of the stevedores who were working down the hold first thing this morning were considerably affected by the fumes, and one of the "number, Ansell, was brought ashore.

The rc-cenditioning of the damaged wool will take some time, and the wool which was loaded at Napier yesterday will be sent forward in one of the steamers that will call at a later stage. The 'ship's agents advise that the damage is i confined entirely to the bunker and the I wool in the adjoining 'hold, and that , the cargo of frozen meat is in no way jn fleeted. Tt is impossible as yet. to j ascertain to what extent the ship'herself is damaged.