EXPLOSION ON LINER

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 July 1939, Page 7

EXPLOSION ON LINER

NARKUNDA AT COLOMBO

FOUR OF CREW LOSE LIVES

[by CABLE —'PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

(Received July 17, 10.30 a.m.)

COLOMBO, July 16

An explosion in No. 6 hold on the P. and O. liner Narkunda, while the vessel was berthing this morning, resulted in a fire. Within 16 minutes of the vessel entering the port, an explosion occurred among the cargo of cork.

Prior to the explosion, the chief officer sent several members 1 of the crew to clear the passengers, as the mailroom. over the hold was on fire. Suddenly, there came an explosion, with a flash of flame, extending half-way up the hNKght of the mast, and 1 blowing out of the hold several -of the crew who were working there. A quartermaster, .1. Sparks, was blown to pieces, and Quartermaster Nicholson’s body was found in a lifeboat. R. Searle and one 1 Lascar were also killed.

Of those injured, five are members of the European crew. They are: C. W. Bloxham, C. S. Farow, C. Perry, S. V. Mattin, and L. Hall. The condition of the last-named is extremely serious. The rest of those injured were Lascars.

A passenger named Playout, who was standing ten yards from the hold, was thrown a good distance alway. He was dazed, and 'suffered from shock. Passengers in the tourist class were thrown from their bunks by the force of the explosion. The tourist class has now been evacuated.

Passengers, describing the explosion, stated that it was like an earthquake shock, which shook the whole vessel.

The mail-room above the hold has been flooded, to prevent fire. Three hundred mailbags were damaged.

No passengers were injured. The cause of the fire has not been ascertained.

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST.

At an inquest held on ship, on those killed aboard, and a fifth man who died in hospital, a verdict of accidental death was returned. The second officer, J. N. Sinclair stated that when he came on deck/ there was an explosion.

Quartermaster Downes, describing the explosion, said he was working in the mailroom, when a “bomb burst.” The bodies were terribly mangled, and in some cases limbs were missing.

Some of the witnesses seemed to be dazed by shock, and were unable to speak coherently. The cause of the explosion was not mentioned.

The cause of the fire in No. 6 hold, at the ship’s stern, is belieed to have been spontaneous combustion. Many of those injured, who are in hospital, are not expected to live.

Further details reveal that the Narkunda was outside the harbour at 4.45 a.m., when the fire was discovered. The ship wirelessed to the shore, and speeded, up. She requested tugs and fire-fighters to stand by. The crew were mustered in fighting kit, and fought the flanks for hours. A fire-float drew alongside immediately the Narkunda anchored, and, with tugs, was pumping in water into the hold D deck, and the maU-room, when the explosion occurred. The fire was later extinguished. The majority of those. injured are Goanese stewards and' Lascars. It is not known whether the ship will be delayed, until the extent of the damage is ascertained.

• BOMB THEORY DISCOUNTED.

(Received July 17, 2 p.m.) , COLOMBO, July 16

The fifth victim was L. Hall, a. bellboy. Those injured include G. Blaxham (tourists’ chief steward), C. Terry and C. Farrel (assistant stewards). The remainder are Goanese, suffering mainly from severe burns. The explosion was terrific. Two members of the crew were hurled 35 feet across the deck. One was picked up dead, and the other, who was unre•cognisable, later succumbed. The tragedy occurred while the firefighters assembled were on the after hatch, in which the Ceylon mails were stored.

The port doctor, who was departing from the liner after the customary inspection, was recalled, and attended to the victims.

The police discounted the rumour that a bomb was discovered. London officials of the P. and O. Company, said that if a bomb were responsible, the. explosion would have occurred first, followed by the fire, but the v reverse was the case. . “We are at a complete loss to explain the mystery,” they added. They hoped that the Narkuncla would be able to sail for Australia.