FIRE ON STEAMER.

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19882, 11 May 1936, Page 7

FIRE ON STEAMER.

MUCH DIMAOI OAUIID. CAUSE OF OUTBREAK UNKNOWN. STE\\'.—\RDS‘ ALARMING EXPERIENCE United Press Mam—Else. Tel. Copyrirht. MELBOURNE, May 10. Damage estimated at bet-ween £BOOO and £IO,OOO, was caused by a tire on the Tasmanian passenger steamer Taroona (4286 tons) at a river berth at 11 am. to-day. .The outbreak, the cause of which is not, known, originated in a staircase between the A and B decks. near the smoking room. It spread with amazing rapidity through A deck. The flames destroyed valuable panelling, fittings and furniture in many rooms and cracked all the windows and porthoies on A deck. Fortunately the full crew was on heard and the flames were promptly attacked with ilre extinguishers. The tire was prevented from reaching b“— low B deck. Mon Blown to mm. Two stewards who were using extinguishers on B deck had an alarming experience. They were blown through an open door in the side or the ship by a discharge of compressed smoke and hot air from the confined space below. The force oi’ the explo—sion threw them from the ship to thc wharf.

One iheax'y is that the cause or ”in fire was the fusing of eiecirical wiring. The Taroona is a new vessel built for the Tasmanian service, and is owned by Tasmanian Steamships. Limited. in:Joint agents being iho Union Company and the iiuddari-Parker Company. Mr Gray. local manager of ihe Union Izmn—nany. says he dams nni think any structural damage was done, AN EXOITINO IXXPIRIIIOI. THREE MEN AND A WOMAN. FIRE ON A LAUNCH. SYDNEY. May 10. Three men and a woman had an exciting experience in Boiany Bay today. A launch in which they wen seated caught fire and me men wert' seriously hurned. The woman jumped into the watt-I“ Aii were rescued and sent to hos-