AN APALLING SCENE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8292, 21 November 1906, Page 6

AN APALLING SCENE.

♦ STEAMER QN FIRE. HUNDREDS OF PERSONS KILLED. (Per Ventura at Auckland). HONGKONG, October 14. The British steamer Hankow, from Canton, was burned this morning lying alongside the wharf. The steamer, with two thousand Chinese teren Europeans, and a cargo of matting, raw silk and waste silk, had j'ist hi rived from Canton. The chief officer reported to the captain immediately after mooring that the ship was on fire. Captain Branch directed the chief engineer to turn on watir through the flro bose. But this was impossible, as five minutes after the alarm was given the chip waa ablaze fore and aft. The capiain awakened the European pHSseugere, who rushed down the gang-plank in their night-clothes. The crew were compelled to leave the ship, whiub by this time was a furnace. The Chineso steerage passengers were in a fearful state of panic. Horrifying shrieks were beard, but esoape was impossible, owing to the inflammable nature of the cargo. Hundreds were burned to death, while many others leapad into the water and were drowned. The fire was under control about three hours later, when only the shell of the hull remained. Tbn iask of removing the dead was then begun. Many corpses were only singed, others incinerated beyond recognition.