FATAL FUMES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 640, 18 October 1909, Page 7

FATAL FUMES.

SURREY ON FIRE AT SEA: TWO DEATHS. .;• .-.. ~; SUPPOSED ' ■', " MOEi3 THAN .ONE OUTBBEAJC. J. (By''-Tcleiraph—Preu. Association-Copyright;) ' .■'")".'.■'•■■■■•:[ :. ... ,/.. Melhourno, October ie. : . ; ..A fire has occMtred in the steel screiv fourmasted ■steamer Surrey, 5980 tons gross, which is engaged, in tho .London-Liverpool-Australian trade.!. : Tho; Surrey, on , arrival.'here , from Sydney, en Vouto to -London, reported that -arly bn,,Tbuv»day irtorning a fire.was discovered in. the.ldwer,'Btnrboart,coal,buniter.. -.■■.. . ; 'The^boatswain'(Christiansen) and .a seaman n&meii, Noilson.^descended to. locate 'the, qutbrc»k, and ,Vero, overcome by fumes. The-rKief Offioor and. second engineer went .to theirassiet(sneo,\but ,tho latter. was, ovorcorae. . . ■. iTho ob,ief 'officer his offorta, and, ifter ropeated .attempts, succeeded- in rcaohiug Christiansen and Ncilson, whose bodies were recovered, but,''ill.-efforts to restore animation failed,'. The eeoond engineer regained consciousness.' ,--.... v'i.'v •'■;■ :'. ; ' '■'■ ■■•■;■' ■" '" . ■■ .'•■; '

, It was thought'the-fire had been put out, but after the steamer'.had reached the wharf embko was 1 noticed .issuing from- No. 3 hM. The crew descended, but'the dense smote drove them bact, , ,after several had been overcome by the; fumes.- ■'.)■■. '.'■.■'/'■'■ •:■■:■" '■:'■'.■■•''':" :,"

.Thft'hatehe's r wero -then battened./'holes' cut in. the' deck, arid wator poured, in.:. However, thb ' firo ■ stil| gained.., Eventually: the '" rtre brigades were .summoned,, and' the outbreak was ijst under cOntrol ; latelast'nii;ht. ■ ' • : The 'supposition'''is that' the Surrey, fire ws? Caused; ;by the heat'.from; the bunkers ■ igniting the ;'rcfrigcratinir insulation. ..."'."' ; ; ' It 16. reported ttia.t'Uftre, occurred in '.he bunkers .'.Before' the' stcamdr left .Sydney, ivit it was thought it had been thoroughly quenched. . : Tho'steamer lies with : ftYstrong list to. port. She.is'apparently .resting on a sandbank. ,The. oargo'iOhieSy;consists of Queensland frozen"msit And.rabbits, which will be .removed.'. --.■.: , •:,,

'Lloyd's surveyor reports'that, the Bteamer, is : not' much 'aiitfagcd.but the destructian of Jargo : ty..fire'aniVaterVis probably serious,•■. ■.■,■.:.

■ OBSTINATE FLAMES. (Rcc. October 18! 15 p.m.) , Melbourne, October 17.

thb' fire on tho Surrey was delayed "OVing' to 'a ;plug;.in tho -bulkhead Hpwiii^:.ont.;nnd' allmving the. water to flood, the; engine-roont,■■'.■ /V . ;'■ ;■ ■. ~.; .-;.,. ,

'. Whilo the plug' wasibeirig.re-fixed ( .the fire regained ; strdßgth, and.,'it',.was not gotjunder iillipatly i,this;piorning.;;>. r;- ; ' : iv- ■.' The danSaged/cargo inCludes.'.a quantity'.of wopl;/,-.'-'"..'/-':!'.-'' ''':>.■■;.,■;;■■;... ' .'