FIRE ON STEAMER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 130, 14 March 1930, Page 5

FIRE ON STEAMER

OUTBREAK ON COMORIN. WOOL AND MEAT DESTROYED. IN HARBOUR AT COLOMBO. (United Press Association—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) COLOMBO, March 13. A fire hroke out on the steamer Comorin, from Australia,, in Colombo harbour at midnight. All the passengers are ashore, and the crew is sate. The fire is believed to be due to spontaneous combustion. There was no panic among the Comorin's passengers when they wei'2 ordered to leave the ship. After all the passengers had left, the cargo of wool, fibre copra, and frozen meat in> Nos. 2 and 3 holds was destroyed. The watertight doors were locked to prevent the fire spreading, and so far this has been successful, but the fire in the holds is still raging. . , Tugs are standing by pumping water into the fore part of the ship. Considerable damage has been done to the first-class dining saloon which is immediately above No. 3 hold. The Australian mails have not been transhipped. . The Comorin will not leave until Saturday. The passengers will not be transhipped, but will leave on die Comorin. ' . This morning the vessel had a lis. to port. She is now 30 degrees to starboard.