SHIP ON FIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1917, Page 2

SHIP ON FIRE.

VESSEL MAKES PORT. Sydney, Sept. 4. 'A steamer, a well-known Sydney trader, arrived in port last night with a firs in No. '1 hold. ■ About midday yesterday, when the wessel was steaming along the coa3t, one of the crew noticed smoke issuing from No. 1 hold. He reported it to the master, who made a search for the seat of the fire, but the disadvantages brought about by the vessel being at sea made effective work impossible. Every precaution was taken to prevent the fire spreading, and when the hatches had been sealed down, a wireless message was sent to Sydney asking that ar« rangements be made for alfireifloat to >meet the vessel on arrival. | x • At 7.30 p.m. the vessel reached the Heads, and was met by the Harbor Trust's steamer Pluvius. Both vessels came up the harbor as far as Garden Island, where they anchored. There the fire-boat commenced to pump water into the burning hold, and after standing by ■all night the fire appeared to be beaten this morning, and the steamer was taken to a berth to discharge a big cargo of copra, hemp, and general produce. A big gang of national service workers was waiting for the steamer to come alongside, and as soon as she tied up they set about the work of unloading her. At that time there was only a little smoke coming from the place where the fire had broken out, and the laborers were able to discharge nearly 100 tons before 1 o'clock. FLAMES GET FRESH START. Soon after the men had returned to work at the lunch hour a great cloud of Btnoke burst up from the bottom of the ship, forcing all hands to rush to the wharf for safety. The cargo which had been removed permitted the air to get right down to the bottom of the vessel, and fanned by the forced ventilation the fire soon broke out with greater intensity than it did on the previous occasion. The ship appliances could not overtake the smoke, and a call was sent to fire headquarters. A full turnout of motors was ordered, and at 2 p.m. half a dozen brigades were hard at work pouring water into the steamer. The firemen, assisted by the crew, fought desperately to beat the fire,but it had such & hold amongst the coprs and hemp that it beat them in the early stages. Water was being poured into .the holds at such a rate that at 3 o'clock the vessel began to heel over to an alarming degree. ■ To prevent her capsizing, wire hawsers were placed over the vessel and ! made fast to the wharf. Though there were four stout linos fast, the weight of the water waa too great, and it was necessary to let go some of them, and give some way to the ship. Fearing that the ship was doomed, a fireman and sailor and one of the officers climbed up the forehead mast and put a wire line over it, making it secure to the wharf. By this time there were additional fire-engines on the spot, and with the Pluvis pumping at high pressure the vessel began to heel over further. The flames leapt high over the bridge before 4 p.m., and there did not seem to be the slightest hope of saving that structure. The saloon was destroyed and practically everything below the deck was eaten up by the fire, which had found its way from one end of the ship to the other. The vessel was burning fiercely, and had listed over to such an extent that the rail was almost under water.