FIRE ON THE REMUERA.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 17022, 20 December 1920, Page 6

FIRE ON THE REMUERA.

4 ** ~a A FORTUNATE SAVE. (FJUS93 ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, December 18. Shortly before seven o'clock this morning a firo was discovered in the cargo in the lower 'twqen decks of No. 5 bold of tho New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Remuera, lying at ICing's Wharf. The brigade was summoned, and after a strenuous 'fight of threo hours succeeded in extinguishing the outbreak. A quantity of wool and flax was destroyed. This was the third firo of tho same nature on overseas vessels at Wellington this year. (special "XO "the press.") WELLINGTON, December 19. It was most, fortunate that tho fire in the liemuera was noticed in its incipient stages. Had it simply smouldered until the vessel had started on her homeward voyage the damage would have been much more serious. The fire must have been burning on the way down tho coast. It was located in No. 5 hold amongst some flax and. wool, from which smoke was coming. The Wellington Fire Brigade was quickly on the wharf, and, tho superintendent himself entering the hold* soon had the water playing on the burning cargo. The captain of the ship speaks in terms of the highest praise of liis smartness in getting to work, and of his action i in using only the minimum of water j necessary, so that little damage was j done~to the cargo. | Once the fire was put out tho damI aged cargo was discharged, and it was I found that no damago had been done to the ship, which will sail on her advertised date—Tuesday next—for Southampton and London, via Panama. Among the -passengers proceeding to England will be Sir John and Lady Findlay, who go to pay a visit to their sons, one of whom is in Paris and the other with the army in Ireland.