FIRE ON THE MOKOIA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8436, 7 May 1907, Page 7

FIRE ON THE MOKOIA.

By Telegraph—Press Association. DUNEDIN, May 6. A quantity of tow shipped at Wellington on Friday last was found, to >be on fire in the hold of the Mokoia shortly after midnight. The trouble was discovered when the lumpers took the hatches off in order to commence to discharge the •steamer's cargo. It is stated that rain was falling when the tow was taken on board at Wellington, which would enhance liability to cause spontaneous combustion. The fire brigade was summoned and speedily extinguished the fire. HOW THE OUTBREAK WAS SUPPKESSED. v DUNEDIN, May 6. The fire on the Mokoia took four . hours to suppress. The forehold 'contained 1,200 bales of tow and flax, the principal shippers being Levin and Co., Patterson And Co., and Kaye and Carter, of Wellington. The ship's hoses were playing within three minutes of the discovery of the fire. Two hours' work failed to locate the immediate region of the outbreak, so it was determined to flood the lower portion of the hold altogether. With this end in view, 300 tons of water wa3 poured into the ship, the water rising to a. depth of 12ft 6in in the' hold. When the fiafc-e was extinguished, the work of pumping out the hold was carried out by the crew, but at Jnoon, when the vessel left for Port Chalmers, there was still eight feet of water below, The damage done to the vessel is trifling, some of the wood-woxk on the top deck being burned. A .general average of five per cent, was collected on the cargo to-day. The insurances on the latter are unknown. 1