FIRE ON THE KAPUNI.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 April 1921, Page 5

FIRE ON THE KAPUNI.

THE RECENT EXPLOSION. EVIDENCE AT THE INQUIRY. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, April 8. A magisterial inquiry into the fire which occurred on the steamer Kapuni while at the Patea wharf on January 25 has commenced. Arthur Percy Gibson, master of the Kapuni, said that the vessel arrived at Patea from Wellington on January 25. There was no benzine in the cargo. About 3 o’clock he heard a violent explosion, and noticed flames issuing from the engine-room. Witness attended to two men who were injured by the fire, and then made an investigation. Brown, a fireman, asked witness to go into the engine-room to examine a tank. In this there Was found benzine; it usually contained kerosene. The fire was on the port side in the after end of the engineroom. All the oil was stowed in that particular quarter. Witness had never t heard of benzine being stored there. The oil was procured from the owner’s store Wellington, Last Night. The evidence of the fireman was to the effect that he had obtained a case of what he supposed to be kerosene, and he put some of the contents through the condenser to cool it. He thought the fumes smelt like benzine, and on examination he found it was so. He took the case and one tin away, and the other was left in the engine room. He went ashore and procured a tin of kerosene, and ten minutes after his return the explosion occurred. The engineer did not say anything about removing the opened tin of benzine from the engine-room. Other witnesses expressed the opinion that the explosion was caused by pouring the benzine into the condenser. The Court will inspect the vessel.