FIRE ABOARD FREIGHTER

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27591, 23 February 1955, Page 13

FIRE ABOARD FREIGHTER

Carbide Explodes In Hold

(NJZ. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 12.20 a.m.) GENOA, Feb. 22. Weary Italian firemen today were keeping vigil over the burning Swedish freighter. Nordenland, still wallowing half-submerged and smoking in Genoa harbour after being torn by a series of explosions last night. They were on the alert for further blasts caused by water reaching her caiuU of calcium carbide. The night scene was lit by jets of flaming oil from the vessel’s tanks, threatening piles of merchandise and the blast-tom warehouses nearby. The Nordenland (1147 tons) was thrown over and holed during gales on Saturday which shattered the Genoa breakwater and caused damage estimated at £2,300,000. Water did not reach her cargo until last night. No-one was on board when the explosions came, but two watchmen on the wharf were slightly injured. The main blast was followed by a series of minor explosions which caused havoc among warehouses ana shattered the windows of nearby houses. Another fire victim is the 7647-ton Dutch freighter, Grootekerk, which sent a radio message last night. Fire had broken out on board. She was expected to reach Genoa without assistance and anchor in the outer harbour.