BUNKERS ABLAZE
EIGHT MEN GASSED. SHIP IN AUSTRALIAN PORT. FUMES CAUSE EXPLOSION. (United Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 1.10 p.m.) MELBOURNE, This Day. Alarm was caused at Williamstown early this morning by. fire in the coal bunkers of the steamer Erica. Eight rneii who were fighting the blaze were gassed by carbon-monoxide fumes set up by the burning coal, but they were hauled up and responded to medical treatment. When Captain T. Christie and the ship’s carpenter, Mr T. Curtis, went below to try to cut through a wooden bulkhead to reach the seat of the fire they collapsed and had to be dragged through a.hatchway by ropes. Other gas victims were two of the ship’s firemen, the chief engineer, the third engineer, and two brigade firemen who also sustained burns.
An explosion occurred, caused by the ignition of pockets of gas from the burning coal. Tons of sea water were pumped into the bunkers, to which the plaze was confined. The ship’s sailing date for Mauritius has been delayed.
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Bibliographic details
Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 231, 13 July 1935, Page 5
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170BUNKERS ABLAZE Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 231, 13 July 1935, Page 5
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