FIRE ON OPIHI.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 15 June 1926, Page 7

FIRE ON OPIHI.

OUTBREAK SUBDUED. (BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) NEW PLYMOUTH, June 14. Throughout the afternoon '.special gangs toiled assiduously unloading the smouldering cargo on the Opihi, hoses being used at the same time. By 8.30 p.m. the fire was completely subdued, and all the damaged cargo removed. The cause of the outbreak is unknown. It was at first attributed to some cargo at the bottom of the hold, but this was afterwards disproved. The Opihi has 1000 tons of southern general cargo for New Plymouth, and 320 tons for Nelson. Only 100 tons of the New Plymouth cargo was burnt or damaged, and the ship was not affected bv the fire. The men had a strenuous time during uidoading. Immediately the hatches were lifted dense clouds of smoke emerged, which made the, task of unloading extremely difficult, the workers at times being almost obscured by smoke. The workers soon disposed of the topmost portion of the cargo, which consisted chiefly of machinery, piping and lime. AVith the use of hoses up came dense volumes of steam, which made matters more am comfortable. The steam gradually dispelled, exposing dilapidated sacks of flour, bran and wheat, many of which had hurst open. Sliortlv after one o’clock much of the burnt cargo was revealed, and scon the men were toiling in a mass of flour, bran and wheat and roasted potatoes. Artic’es of furniture were hoisted up and stowed in trucks among a disordered array of sacks. By 7 o’clock a little smoke issued forth, and by tlbat time it was necessary to shovel the cargo into baskets. Each basket carried a saturated mixture of salt, flour and lime. At 7.30 p.m. . the workers were at the seat of the fire, and operations ceased soon after.