FIRE ON THE KENT

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 208, 3 September 1925, Page 10

FIRE ON THE KENT

'TWEEN DECKS ABLAZE ' '— ** *-'* z ' . f?' . ... J M J SHIP BELCHES SMOKE FROM FOREHOLD. [f SHORE FIREMEN'S HEROIC FIGHT. DESPERATE BATTLE WITH THE FLAMES BURNING VESSEL BERTHED AT QUEEN'S WHARF.

Fire was discovered at 4.'15 this morning on the Federal Steam Navigation Company's 10,000-ton Steamer Kent, at ! anchor in the stream off Stanley Bay, and since early morning ;• the City Fire Brigade has been fighting the flames raging in the I 'tween deck, No. 2 hold, just for'ard of the bridge, from which \k dense volumes of smoke belched from before daybreak. The j steamer, which is a well-known trader, arrived at Auckland on I August 21 with 10,000 tons of general cargo for New Zealand. She discharged about half of it for Auckland, and was ready to sail for Wellington, but the crew joined the strikers, and she was taken to an anchorage in the stream seven days ago. The fire ! broke out among the cargo for Wellington and other Southern I ports, and consisted of the usual mixed goods, including a quan- [ tity bf paint and oils. The assistance of the City Fire Brigade ! was asked for before daybreak, and the Te Awhina and Firefloat were sent alongside, and have ever since been pumping water on the fire. Just before noon the burning steamer was brought alongside the Queen's wharf, in order that further measures could be taken to gefc" et the seat of the trouble. After the vessel was berthed the brigade's efforts were continued, and just before one o'clock the fire was under ■' control.

NO. 2 HOLD ON FIRE. SHIP IN IMMINENT DANGER. RAGING INFERNO BELOW DECK. iv The s.s. Kent, belonging to the Federal-Shire Line, is on fire in the harbour. The outbreak maintained a strong hold, and dense volumes of thick black smoke were belching foirth from No. 2 hold just forward of the bridge. At times during the morning huge tongues of flame spurted from the hatchway, on occasions reaching to a height of six or feet. Looking down into the hold -from the bridge it was an awe-inspiring sight. Flames and smoke turned 4he inside into a roariftg inferno. C At 4 o'clock this morning all appeared well on the Kent as she lay peacefully at anchor in the stream off Stanley Bay. She had been there for seven daya, the crew having left her on account of the seamen's strike. During that time the officers of the <ship had made regular inspections of the holds and the cargo for Southern ports. At 4.15 a.m. the fourth officer, Mr. T. K. McDonald, who was on watch, noticed a thin whisp of smoke issuing from the forward ventilator on the port, side. Immediately the alarm was given. All hands turned out and made strenuous endeavours to locate the outbreak. The engineers got the pumpe going, and water and steam were forced into the hold. Fire Brigade Summoned. The Harbourmaster; Captain Sergeant, was communicated with about 5 o'clock, ■ c.nd he went out to the burning ship. The Harbour Board's fire float went alongside and tied up to the big ship on the starboard bow. Very soon six big leads of hose were got aboard, aud in a some 1800 gallons of water per ainute were being pumped into the fiery Seeing that the flames were gaining, The Superintendent of the Fire Brigade was asked to send a detachmart of men out about 6 o'clock, and they, equipped with smoke helmets, did fine 6ervice throughout the day. The Harbour Board's tug, Te Awhina. went out with a gaug of workmen, and an oxy-acctone plant. By 9 a.m. the first hole had-been cut in the ship's port side and a large hose war. playing into the hold. A few minutes later a similar aperture was cut further aft, where the plates had begun to blister and bulge. Fighting the Flames. Meantime the thousands of gallons of water poured aboard the Kent gave her a. decided list to starboard. Every moment the fire seemed to be gaining. ' Firemen, the captain, ship's officers and engineers took great risks, and Worked like trojans. Blinded with, 'dense, thick, black smoke and fumes -from the burning oils, paints, disinfectants, and general cargo ' which the holds contained; ecorched with the intense heat, these men fought what at 10.35 a.m. appeared , to be a losing fight. During this struggle there were some thrilling moments. Fireman McKay, of the City Brigade, and Chief Engineer Barclay went below together to get as near the seat of the outbreak as poseiblc. They had taken a hose with them, and wore smoke masks. Below the fireman's air pipe caught on some obstruction, and he was helpless. Meantime Mr. Barclay had mounted to the deck again. Realising that something untoward had happened, he went down into the now raging hold, and just managed to rescue Fireman McKay in time. Position Becomes Most Serious. ♦ Realising that the fire was making great headway and the position was becoming most serious another great hole .was cut in the now over-heated steel decks. Strenuous endeavours were being made to prevent the fire getting away aft. The Kent is au oil-burning steamer and as her oil tanks are situated in the after part the danger of the fire spreading ran well be realised. Gradually the conflagration was working its way towards the stern. Dense emoke and heat was experienced in the ship's storeroom underneath the bridge deck-houses. Soon the after decks became warm and smoke was observed ilsuiDg from ventilators astern.

At 10.23 the officers of the ship commenced removing the delicate navigating instruments from the bridge and all the ship's papers were placed in a comparative place of safety. Meantime drums of oil commenced to explode and the dense black smoke and fumes leaped higher and higher. Black and almost blinded men never gave up and worked even more strenuously than hitherto. ' Ship Berths at Wharf. About 11 a.m. a conference was held by Captain Sergeant, Harbourmaster, Captain Plunkett, Lloyds' Surveyor, Supt. Wilson, of the City Fire Brigade, and Captain Downton, of the Kent, and it was decided to berth the ship at the wharf in order that better fire fighting facilities could be had. All this time she was listing more and more to starboard in addition to which she appeared to be going down by the stern. At 11.20 a.m. the anchor was hove up arid the Kent brought alongside the Queen's wahrf, where she berthed at 11.45 a.m. Here the City Fire Brigade's huge Dennis pumping engine was all ready to pour thousands of extra gallons of water into the burning ship. Fire Under Control. Despite the fact that fairly large volumes of smoke were still issuing from the !hold .of the burning vessel at 1.45 p.m., the- .outbreak was well under control. There was no appearance of actual flames from the deck of the steamer, but the heat was still intense. Windsails were being erected to caiise fresh air to enter the hold, preparatory to firemen going below with leads of hose in order tha : t water might be played directly on the flames. Fourth Officer's Discovery. The man who first observed the fire was the fourth officer, Mr. T. K. Alacdonald. "At 4 o'clock this morning I relieved the 'second officer," he said to a "Star" reporter. "At. that time everything seemed to be in order.. About 4.45 a.m. I was leaning over the forepart of the bridge when I noticed faint wisps of smoke issuing from the for'ard ventilator. I immediately called Captain Downton and the chief officer, Mr. J. C. Waibson. I then quickly went about covering up the ventilator cowls to keep the air in the liold, and then sent off a signal for the fire brigade. All the hatch coverings were secure then. We then rigged the ship's fire hose and very shortly had several leads of hose playing on the fire. The fire brigade afterwards arrived, but still the fire continued to make progress." Piercing Steamer's Hull. Som,e time after the Auckland Harbour ; Board's "Firefloat" had tied up to the starboard side of the Kent to pump 1800 gallons of water per hour through six leads of hose into the burning hold, the Te Awhina was dispatched with an oxyacetone welding plant. Captain Downton, Captain Plunket, Lloyd's surveyor at Auckland, and Superintendent.Wilson, of the Auckland Fire Brigade agreed that it would be wise to cut several holes through the port side in an effort to flood the holds. No sooner liad the tug got alongside than a gang of men rigged the acetone burning plant in readiness to cut through the steel plates. Meanwhile the officers of the ship, had put over the side a scaffold, or • stage, for the men to work upon. Working under great difficulties the men soon had a large hole burned through. the vessel's side. As soon as the cilicate of cotton, used as a means of insulation, had been penetrated, the cotton, resembling kapok, was strewn in. all directions by the high wind. Having struck a guseet it, was then found necessary to burn another hole through the steel side at a point about 15 feet from the water's edge at the after end of No. 2 'tween decks hold. Working from a difficult' angle the tvfo men succeeded in burning a large hole in ten minutes. As soon as the circular plate was taken away dense yellow smoke, smelling strongly of burning paint and oils, burst out, but a minute later a lead of hose from the Te Awhina was inserted. This- momentarily quenched the flames, but by 10 o'clock the fire at this spot still had a great hold. Hatches Burned Through. At 9 o'clock, although dense volumes of yellowish smoke were pouring from the No. 2 hold, enveloping the bridge, there was no flame arid the firemen were below striving, h'ai'd to get. the blaze under control. Half an hour later it

looked, as if-the firemetfs-task would be fruitless, for they were forced to come up on deck. Flames made their appearance at 9.45 and additional leads of hoae were brought into commission. Even this had little effect and it was impossible from this on for the firefighters to descend into the hold. High flames roared and licked the sides of the hold end at 10.15 the open hatchway was a seething cauldron. As the flames ate up the wooden hatch coverings this allowed the air to enter, causing a draught, with the result that the flames wpro itifpiiMfied until they almost reached the bridge. It soon became evident that unless the Kent was moved alongside the wharf, where a greater pressure of water could be obtained, she would have to be scuttled. So it was decided to bring the vessel alongside. Just prior to this all the navigating instruments were removed from the bridge, while officers busied themselves in gathering up their effects ready for any emergency. By 20 minutes past 10 the flames had worked through under the ship's storeroom between No. 2 and 3 holds. Even on top of these holds the plating was so hot that one's hand could not be applied to the plates. Firemen in Difficulty. The work of the fire brigade is deserving of much praise. Superintendent Wilson, a foreman and half a dozen firemen comprised the party which went out early this morning. Soaked through to the skin and looking like sticks of charcoal, with eyes watering from the results of the stifling smoke, they toiled away, coming up from below every now and again for a "breather", or a cup of hot tea in the galley. During the early stages of the fire and about the time when the flames commenced to eat their way upwards, fireman McKay had a thrilling experience deep down in No. 2 hold. He was below playing a lead on the flames when the air tube connected to his smoke helmet became fouled with another lead of hose. To make matters worse he was working in the hottest part of the fire and when nearly overcome it was realised on deck that something untoward was happening below. Meantime the chief engineer, Mr. A. M. Barclay had come up on deck. Getting no response from fireman McKay, Mr. Barclay immediately descended again to the firemen. Observing that he was in difficulties, he promptly severed the air line and after a struggle succeeded in bringing McKay, who was almost exhausted, to the "deck again. Had Mr. Barclay not gone down to the fireman's assistance, no doubt a fatality would have resulted. At the head of the wharf the Auckland Fire Brigade's Dennis pump was in readiness and as soon as the Kent was alongside and secured, its huge intake was dropped into the harbour and leads of hose run out. Two were immediately placed in the hole on the port side alongside that from the ship's pump and preparations were made for making another attacking point. It was decided to cut a hole through the steel plate about opposite the shelter deck and immediately above the first, which was cut without success. The oxy-ace-tone flame was soon inscribing a circle. and there were anxious moments as it ate its way through. Once the circle was cut a heavy hammer was requisitioned, but the flame had to be applied for several more minutes ibefore the steel circle fell with a, thud inside the hold. It was anticipated that the emokc would belch out. when the aperture was made, but such was not the case. The firemen standing on the wharf with a lead of hose in readiness had no cause-to immediately direct the water into the ship, and, as a matter of fact, it was decided, to employ a wider lead and one was withdrawn from the hole in the ship's, side amidships.. Smoke had been continually issuing from this hole where three leads were at work

and occasionally there "would be a dense gust which forced the firemen to croucli down on the temporary staging from which they were working. Once water was played through the new opening smoke commenced to pour out and there had not been any noticeable signs of abatement at midday—in fact the fire had a bigger hold than when the livefloat was first requisitioned. Total Loss Avoided. The Kent's chief officer, Mr. Watson, chatting to a reporter at 1 o'clock this afternoon expressed the opinion that the fire was then under control. He further stated that when he first noticed the fire this morning he could 6inell burning straw, indicating that the outMfreak had originated among a large quantity of wash basins which were packed with &traw. "Of course, some little time afterwards we could smell paint and oils burning. That was when it started to spread." Mr. Watson considered that had the Kent remained out in the stream with her nose into the wind the fire would have spread along underneath to the settling tank, where between 500 and 600 tons of crude oil was stored for the ship's consumption. Usually the Kent carries oil in the for'ard bunkers, but fortunately at present these tank's were empty, the only oil remaining being in the* settling tanks further aft. "Had we remained out in the stream the fire would have reached the main tanks," added Mr. Watson. "Then it would have been—well, Goodbye old Kent."