SHIP AFIRE

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 September 1923, Page 7

SHIP AFIRE

600 NEW SETTLERS ABOARD. SYDNEY, September 6. Although a fire burnt fiercely for three days in the bunkers of the immigrant ship Baradine when nearing Sydney from London, news of the outbreak was kept from the passengers, and a panic thus averted. Not until the ship reached Sydney on Monday were the passengers aware that at one time the Baradine was perilously near being overwhelmed by the fire. There were over six hundred new settlers on the vessel, among them many women and children. At first it was believed that the outbreak was not serious, but an investigation by some of the engineroom staff disclosed that the fire had assumed alarming proportions. Promptly most of the crew were sent down into the hold. The bunkers, which had been put on at Capetown, were well ablaze, and smoke was issuing from the ventilators. The hatch was immediately lifted off. It was found that the fire had broken out among similar South African coal to that with which trouble had been experienced on other vessels. The fire smouldered for many hours, and it was decided that the hold would have to be flooded. All the pumps were used, pouring thousands of gallons of water into the hold. On arrival at Sydney the Baradine carried fourteen feet of water in No. 2 hold. Although the vessel left London with practically no cargo because of the dockers’ strike, she was nearly down to the water line as the result of the weight of water. Some hundreds of tons of coal were destroyed, and in one of the holds the heat of the fire damaged the plates. It is considered that a remarkable save was effected, and that the commander, with admirable judgment, hushed up the news of the fire. Should it have leaked out to the passengers, there would surely have been a panic. One of the officers said that at one time lie thought that the fire would extend throughout the whole ship. There is no indication how the outbreak originated, but an investigation will be held in Sydney. The Baradine is a. vessel of 1,000 tons.