LOSS OF THE ORINI.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 133, 8 June 1925, Page 6

LOSS OF THE ORINI.

CREW REACH WELLINGTON. ESCAPE FROM BLAZING SCOW. ENGINEER; SEVERELY BL"RNED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The crew of the Orini. which was burned on Friday in Cook Strait, have reached Wellington. Berridge, the engineer, is severely burned on the ri"ht hand and waist. The crew had to leave the ship hur. riedly when it was realised that the fira in a cargo of 2500 cases of benzine could not be combatted. Some of the crew lost their effects and papers. The Orini, an auxiliary scow in charge of Captain G. Roff, left Castlecliff »t mid-day on Tuesday with case oil from the stranded Gyrene. Some hours feter the vessel ran into hei.y southerly vrexther, and was compelled to take shelter in Port Hardy, D'Urville Island, from Wednesday evening till Fricay. When anchor was weighec at 1 p.m., a course was set for WelliEgton, using the engines, one of which back-fired. About an hour later the carburettor blazed up. All efforts to suppress the flames proved useless. The fire sprea4 so rapidly that it reached the cargo as the boat with the crew pulled away, and the ship was soon a mass of flame. The crew reached Patuki a couple of hour* later.