FIRE ON THE MEDORA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 8, 11 January 1899, Page 4

FIRE ON THE MEDORA.

At about half-past one o'clock this , , 1 morning a"fire broke out or the a ix- I iliary schooner Medora., lying beside,, I the "Queen-street Wharf. The the-' started in the starboard side of rha vessel, near t.ie aft end of the hold. The cook, who sleeps directly alm-.e the place way awakened by the heat and the smoke, and he at once arousal the rest of the crew. The master, .Mr Subritzky,, at once attached the ship's . hose to the pump, and went down the hold to play it on the fire. Cons able Macdonnell and Mr Clark, nightwatchinan, observed the smoke, and liie former at once telephoned for the.fire brigade, afterwards going to the assistance of the crew. The- fire brigade was quickly on the scene, autl in about an hour the tire was got com-;H| pletely under. I& The origin of the fire is unknown, It was at first thought that it was caused by spontaneous combustion in the oil tank'-which contains the fuel for the engine, but it was found That the tank is still intact, and full of oil, and that the fire started several feet away from it. The damage is estimated at aboiinK £ 100. The planks in the after pairai| of the hull -were' badly charred, aajSE the deck was also considerably burnt, _■■ while a bulkhead Avas destroyed. All considerable quantity of cargo was - H damaged .-.by.- the fire and water. Cat«|H| tain M. T."Clayton, Marine Surveyor, H and Mr W. 11. Brown, to-dr.v made ai»B examination of the vessel.; The Coljm lector of Customs, Mr A. Rose, will Am hold an inquiry into the circumstancesjHß surrounding the fire, in due time. [' B is not yet known whether the vesselaHpj is insured^-her. owner, Mr Subritzkyi™H senr., being at Awanui. Zm