FIRE ON, TURAKINA.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 244, 15 October 1925, Page 9

FIRE ON, TURAKINA.

SERIOUS OUTBREAK_AT WELLINGTON. ONE HOLD BEING FLOODED. ll.it. ' j]; SIGNS OF GREAT HEAT. NOTICEABLE LIST TO STARBOARD. «— — - (3y Telegraph.—Press Association.) gif WELLINGTON, this day. f A fire in No. 4 hold of the steamer Turakina was [ 'discovered about eight o'clock this morning when stevedores : opened the hatch. i The smoke observed was the first indication of the ,' outbreak, which the crew quickly took steps to suppress. Meantime the brigade was summoned. No. 4 hold was fully loaded with copra, tallow, wool, hemp, cheese and mutton, and, owing to the inflammable nature of the cargo, the seriousness of the fire was apparent ■ at once. The brigade immediately took steps to flood the hold . by cutting holes in the steamer's side and deck. Meantime the tug Terawhiti was summoned, and, having ; been secured alongside, commenced pumping water into the hold. After the fire had been burning three hours no decrease . was apparent, and the hatches were taken off. } Firemen with gas helmets on descended the hold in an • attempt to find the seat of the fire. So far the seat is not I located, but it is thought to be in the after part of the hold. j The Turakina has taken a noticeable list to starboard, and j there are signs of great heat where some of the plates are ■ buckled on deck. ; No. 4 hold was loaded at Wellington before the steamer moved into the stream owing to the strike trouble. A small ; quantity of extra cargo was to have been loaded here to-day. ; and. had not preparations been made to take this in, the fire : would probably have been discovered at sea. I The steamer was to have sailed at 11 a.m. to complete loading at Napier before sailing for London. The New Zealand Shipping Company's Turakina is a well-known trader to New Zealand. She arrived at Auckland on August 10 from London with general cargo for the principal ports. After discharge she be°-an to load ; Homeward cargo, working up the coast back to Auckland, which was to be her last port of call. She took on a large cargo in the South, and only had to call at Napier and Auckland to make her a full ship.