KOKIRI EXPLOSION Ventilators Plugged And Covered With Canvas

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30760, 26 May 1965, Page 3

KOKIRI EXPLOSION Ventilators Plugged And Covered With Canvas

•New Zealand Press Association?

WELLINGTON, May 25.

Ventilators which could have allowed gas in the collier Kokiri to escape had been plugged and covered with canvas, a commission of inquiry into the fatal explosion of March 13 was told today. Two seamen died in the explosion in the vessel as it was berthing at Aotea quay, Wellington.

Counsel for the Superintendent of Mercantile Marine (Mr R. C. Savage) told the commission that apparently when a crewman turned the switch on a winch contactor in the mast house, it caused a spark which set off a violent explosion.

The Kokiri’s master, Captain Horace Trengrove Pool, said he did not believe there were ventilators designed that could be left unplugged in bad weather.

After lunch the commission inspected the Koki r i, which is berthed at the patent slip wharf. Members spent the whole afternoon at the wharf and no ■ further evidence was taken.

It was believed the gas was trapped in the mast-house because ventilators to the hold containing the coal had been plugged and covered with canvas. Mr Savage told Mr J. A. ' Wicks, S.M., who is presiding. With Mr Wicks on the inquiry are Captain W. J. Keane, of Auckland, the director of Mechanical and

Electrical Engineering for the Ministry of Works, Mr R. W. Kerr, and a colliery manager, Mr S. R. Eyeington. With Mr Savage is Mr D. P. Neazor.

The Union Steam Ship Company is represented by Mr J. C. White with Mr M. J. Powles, the master of the Kokiri, Captain H. T. Pool by Mr L. G. Rose with Mr K. G. Stone, the Merchant Service Officers’ Guild by Mr A. F. Mac Alister and the Mines Department by Mr W. R. Birks.

Mr C. H. Arndt appears for the Federated Seamens’ Union and the Northern Taranaki, Wellington and Canterbury Waterside Unions’ Association.

Mr Savage said the Kokiri, of 1326 tons, and owned by the Union Steam Ship Company, left Greymouth on March 12 with a cargo of coal. On March 13, about 9.45 p.m. she was preparing to dock at Aotea quay. At this time an explosion occurred in the forward part of the ship. Able Seaman Scanlon was killed by the explosion and another seaman was thrown in the water and was presumed dead. Badly Damaged The bridge of the Kokiri was extensively damaged and six hatch covers on No. 2 hold were blown off. The mast house was also badly damaged. Mr Savage said the inquiry sought the cause of the casualty and to prevent future casualties, either by punishment of negligence or by the remedying of faults that might have existed in the ship’s navigation or management. “It is believed, on the superintendent’s findings, that what happened was that the coal in No. 3 and four hatches emitted occluded gas, which being lighter than air,rose and sought an outlet from the hatches. “These two hatches, which are really one big hold with a division or bulkhead between them, had an open space at the top of the division which connected them. . “There is a ventilator at each end, one of which comes out at the bridge and the other above the mast-house. “The one above the masthouse had a trunk-way to the hatch by way of the masthouse so that air, gas, etc., from the hold passed through the mast-house and out of the ventilator,” said Mr Savage. Gas Retained The occluded gas emitted thus, which should have been able to escape out of the ventilators, could not do so because both ventilators had been plugged and had canvas covers over them.

The gas was consequently trapped, some collected in the mast-house and could not escape from there because its small ventilator was also plugged. What apparently happened was that when Leading Seaman McLeod turned the switch on a winch a contactor switch in the masthouse caused a spark which ignited the gas and caused a violent explosion. “This explosion was followed by another in the hold to which there was a direct access from the ventilator trunk-way.

“If that was the true course of events,” Mr Savage said, “then various points arose which included the ventilation of the holds, the suitability of the electrical gear, namely the contactor gear, and the coal cargo itself.

“If the coal was of an unusual nature in the sense that it emitted more occluded gas than normal, then the carriers, the Kokiri, should have been warned,” he said.! Damage Described ' A marine surveyor, Mr S. Young, told the commission the forward mast-house of the Kokiri, the intermediate bulkhead in No. 2 hold, and the hatch pontoon covers had been damaged. There had been heavy structural damage to the bridge, wheelhouse and master’s and radio cabins.

Questioned by Mr Birks, he said the Kokiri was a good ship for the coal trade, but to protect the ship against the weather it was necessary to plug the ventilator.

The master of the collier, Horace Trengrove Pool, said an orange flame from the explosion shot about 30ft into the air. This was followed by a violent explosion. He was thrown on the deck, when his right cheek was fractured.

Captain Pool said he could remember lying on his stomach trying to find the telegraph to warn the engineroom that something had gone wrong on the bridge. A smell like compost had come after the explosion, and seeing orange flames coining from the holds he had given the order to abandon ship. A boat was lowered to

search for a man whose cries [ for help could be heard from overboard. Questioned by Mr L. G. Rose, whether he was satisfied with the conduct of his: crew. Captain Pool said. I “Yes.” He said a large number of j masters had served in the j Kokiri before him and his! practice of handling the ship' did not differ from those car-! ried out by other captains. I He did not believe there j were ventilators designed j which could be left unplugged l in bad weather. To Mr Birks, Captain Pooll said he had relied on past j practices because they had j proved safe. To Mr White, Captain Pool said that he had had no knowledge that there was any danger in the hatches until the explosion took place.