THRILLING SEA STORY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 319, 5 October 1908, Page 5

THRILLING SEA STORY.

FISHING SMACK.IN FLAMES.. A thrilling story of fighting fire at sea was told by the crew of the Ramsgate fishing vessel Florence when they arrived in the harbour on. August 18 in another smack. The Florence, with a good catch on board, was homowaitl bound, and on August 17 the trawl was'hauled in for the last time. Shortly afterwards smoke was seen issuing from the companion way. The crew endeavoured to subdue the flames with water, but their attempts wore futile, as the dense smoke pouring up the companion way choked and blinded the men. Matters became infinitely worse when a ten-gallon drum of paraffin oil exploded. The suffocating fumes spread over the vessel. Tho hands of tho smack William and Elizabeth, some six hundred yards away at the time of the outbreak, also rendered assistance, and after a couple of hours fighting tho firo the men were forced to leave tho vessel, as it became too hot to stand on deck. The ship's boat drew away from the burning wreck and watched,the flames creep into tho rigging, setting firo to the mainsail, .which topp'lod over the mainmast. As tho William and Elizabeth, with the rescued crew on board, set sail for'port the flames 011 tho Florence Were lapping the water's edge. Nothing was saved from the vessel but her boat, in which the crew escaped.