STEAMER ON FIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 246, 15 October 1917, Page 4

STEAMER ON FIRE.

MAIL FOR NEW ZEALAND. • MELBOURNE, October 3. The fire which was discovered in the fore-peak of an oversea steamer lying at Victoria Dock, Melbourne, on Tuesday night, was practically subdued by 2.30 this morning. The flames had eaten their way through a wooden bulkhead, and were then exposed to the full play of the hoses. The fire commenced among some bedding stores and mail matter in the fore-peak, under the forecastle. Considering the circumstances, the vessel escaped with comparatively little damage. A quantity of bedding and mail matter .was destroyed. The latter included for the most part curios collected by Australian soldiers in Egypt and Mesopotamia, which had been forwarded to relatives and friends, and were chiefly consigned to tbe eastern States. It "is not anticipated that the sailing of the vessel will be materially interfered with, but about Oft of water has to be pumped out of the forward part, and some necessary overhauling done. The hold in which the fire occurred had been sealed up all yesterday, and as far as the officials were aware nobody had entered it. The postal authorities advised that no letter mails were destroyed. The parcel mails included 13 bags for Sydney, seven for Brisbane, and six for New Zealand, from troops in Egypt; seven from Colombo for Sydney, one for Brisbane, and three for New Zealand, while from Port Said there were 17 for Sydney and four for Brisbane; from Aden, three for ; Sydney; from Saigon, one for NewGuinea. The whole of the parcels bave been burnt excepting those containing metal. These have been damaged by are practically useless.