HEATING OF COAL IN SHIP’S HOLD

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25998, 29 December 1949, Page 3

HEATING OF COAL IN SHIP’S HOLD

WATER SLUICED IN TO PREVENT FIRE From Our Own Reporter GREYMOUTH, December 28. Water had to be sluiced into one of the holds of the small collier. Holmlea, at Greymouth to-day to prevent the possibility of fire through heating in the vessel’s cargo of coal. The Holmlea has been bar-bound at Greymouth since Thursday. Last week heating had occurred in the coal to such an extent that the sides of the hoppers became too hot to handle and one was burned through. The coal—the dregs of the bins at the district mines—had begun to heat during its long storage, but where the heat was noticed in the coal hoppers it was watered and exposed to the air before being loaded into the Holmlea. Apparently because of the unduly extended stay of the Holmlea at Greymouth through bad bar conditions, the coal began to heat again. Smoke began to rise from one of the holds this morning. Fearing a fire, shipping authorities communicated with the

Greymouth Fire Brigade. Firemen were advised to stand by in case of alarm, but after the coal nad been inspected in the hold by Superintendent T. Mclntosh it was decided to attack it with the ship’s equipment. Hoses were used and the seat of the heating was soon discovered near the surface of the coal. Heating was confined to the coal in one hold. With the wind change there are hopes that the bar will be sufficiently improved by to-morrow to permit the departure of the vessel for Castlecliff.