IN BLAZING OIL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 96, 3 February 1930, Page 7

IN BLAZING OIL

TRAPPED IN TANKER. HORRIBLE SCENES ON BOARD.

Fire broke out on board a British oil-tanker when she was being towed into dry dock, and in an inferno of blazing petroleum 10 men lost their lives-. Several were also severely burned in making their escape liom the agonising heat. Among the dead, who °vere identified after the captain had made a roll call, were two British officers. , , . . ■ The igniting of the petrol or benzine floating 0 in Rotterdam Harbour near the vessel is one of the theoi les advanced to account for the fire winch paritalfy destroyed the Glasgow oiltanker, Vimeira, 5/28 She uas being taken by tugs to the Rotteidam Dry Dock Company’s dock for repairs, and about 50 men of the Dry Dock Company were on board cleaving the tanks os gas when suddenly the whole ship burst into flames, which shot through the deck and leaped highei than the bridge. Men who were working underneath rushed, panic-strick-en, on deck. Many sprang ovei board, and were picked up by tugs and ■other boats which dashed to the scene. It was. subsequently established that among the missing were Mr C. Bone; the chief engineer, of Clydebank; and. and Mi B. Stewart, the first mate, of Dundee. Seven charred bodies of labourers who were engoged in cleaning oiit the tank's were also recovered. The only woman on board was Mrs ffiva Finlayson, the wife of Captain Finlayson, of Edinburgh. She made a dramatic escape by jumping from the wheelhouse into a motor boat which ran alongside the burning vessel. She broke her leg, and was at once conveyed t-o hospital. In response to the alarm given by the siren of the Viraeria, the Rotterdam Floating Fire Brigade arrived speedily on the scene. They noured thousands of gallons of water into the tanker, but before the games were subdued the ship had been burned out amidships. The part destroyed included the captain’s quarters. When the alarm was first raised the burgomaster of Rotterdam, accompanied by the harbour master, was on a round of inspection of the docks. They were witnesses of the spectacle that followed. 1 The assistant harbour master attributed the cause of the outbreak _ to floating oil near the Vimeira becoming ignited. “In a moment,” lie stated, in describing what he saw, “the flames had spread to the ship, which was quickly in flames amidships. Everybody immediately dashed to the stern of the tanker in a wild rush away from the flames. When the flames swept towards them they jumped overboard. I myself saw the bodies of two men who were caught in the flames and burned to death. It is probable that many more lost their lives this way. .Many of the injured were rushed away to various hospitals in the city. Some of them'were suffering from broken limbs sustained in the rush away from the flames and off the ship.” One of the survivors declared that when he and his companions were at work in the pumproom he heard the cry of “Fire,” and saw flames. He rushed on deck and foupd refuge in the forepeak, where he and another man threw out anchors, which prevented the vessel from drifting further. Other survivors thought that the glowing ashes from the stokehold, of the Vimeira set alight the oil on the surface of the water.

The Rotterdam Harbour authorities held an inquiry which revealed that had the wind been blowing from another quarter the tragedy might have been, averted. Their report stated that there could be no question of carelesiffiess or the apportioning of blame.