FIGHT FOR LIFE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 16, 16 July 1910, Page 15

FIGHT FOR LIFE.

.WORKMEN rSEFEISOKED EH A. BTZBNING SHIP. IAXB THHOTW3H (RIVEO? HOLES. Thousands of spectators crammed together on the bridge which crosses the river Wear at ©underland last Saturday to watch a. race with death, on board the steamer Lavinia Westell, which was undergoing repairs at a pontoon close by. The lives of two workmen imprisoned, in the blazing- forepeak of the steamer were at stake. They had been- at work riveting, and with, a red hot iron had set fire to a heap of oakum and other inflammable material in the compartment in which they were at work with two other men. These two managed to reach the manhole communicating with, the forehold, but Peter ' Mills and a youth named Patterson were cut off by the flames and remained imprisoned in the great steel tank, in imminent danger of being choked to death with smoke, or roasted alive.

Blremen were quickly on the scene, but were driven back by flames and smoke from Mie manhole, and it seemed absolutely impossible for the men to be rescued in time. Meanwhile the hapless prisoners were knocking and shouting frantically through rivet holes, 'blurry up! Hurry up, for God's sake!" Their cries died away to mere gaspings, and it became evident Uiat the poor fellows were being ' choked by the smoke. Then a fellow workman had an inspiration. Calling to hlB mates, he dragged to the ship's side two of the pipes through, which compressed air is supplied to the pneumatic riveters used in the yard They passed the nozzles of the pipes through rivet holes in the forepeak, and, pumping away for dear life, averted the danger of the imprisoned men being suffocated.

But the fire was still burning furiously and the plates of the forepeat were growing hotter and hotter every minute, in spite of the water poured on them, and the fate of the men inside seemed sealed. They were saved from suffocation only to meet an infinitely more hideous death, for the firemen dared not play entirely on the fire for fear of drowning the imprisoned men.

At last it was decided to try and cut through the steel bulkhead of the forepeak farthest from the seat of the fire. ESvery workman in the yard volunteered for the job, but the space in which they could work was limited, and only a few conld work at a time. As it was impossible to use pneumatic tools, the work had to be done by hand. With hammer, chisel, and punch, the workers set about their tough task of cutting into the bulkhead. Working in relays, halX-blinded by smoke and scorched by heat, they slowly but surely cot out a ragged hole some 18 inches square. It took them half-an-hour to break through, and for a few seconds it seemed that their labour had been in vain. Then, however, the head of Patterson appeared at the hole. He was dragged out unconscious, and a moment later his companion followed. Both were terribly exhausted and much scorched, but otherwise uninjured. Mills told the story of the scene inside the blazing compartment. "We dared not approach, the manhole," he said, "and we were just about choked when the two alrpipes were put through the rivet-holes, and these saved us. "When the first pipe came through I took hold of It, and felt the air, co I clapped the lad's face against and made him breathe, while I held the other pipe. "What frightened mo was I was afraid the woodwork ut the top of the tank would catch and fall on us. Then we would have been roasted alive. "At last we heard our mates cutting the bulkhead, and after what seemed ages, the hole was big enough to scramble out. "Patterson had fainted, and I was nearly done, but I kept him held against the airpipe."