FURTHER DETAILS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VII, Issue 124, 21 May 1917, Page 6

FURTHER DETAILS.

Gisborne, May 21. The explosion aboard the Arahura caused no structural damage to the vessel which resumed her voyage last evening. The partitions between the firemen’s quarters, and stewards’ gloryhole, and two passenger cabins on the port side were shattered by a blast of air resultant from the explosion which occurred in the forepeak. The main sakon bulkhead was thrown out of plumb.

The boatswain, when making, his usual rounds sounding wells and bilges, had entered the forepeak at <•l5 a.in., and. imagining the watertight bulkhead between the forepeak and No. I hold prevented anv danger from gas, lit a candle to enable him to unscrew the cap of the sounding well. Immediately an explosion occurred, but though smoke issued from the ftfrepeak there was no fire, which was fortunate, considering that 5,000 cases of benzine were stored in the torehold. Boatswain Somers was badly burned auout tne head, and on lower parts ?£.V ie kody. The steward, Av. J. White received a gash on the face through a glass door being blown in on him,-and fireman IV. Cunningham sustained a fracture of the foot These were sent to the hospital. I Another fireman.- Hueker,with an injured foot, remains aboard. mediately the. explosion occurred, Captain Morrison turned the vessel towards Hick’s,Bay and ordered the boats to" be in readiness, fie then started the firehose on the forepeak but then found a few minutes la,ter, that no fire had occurred. As no material danger had resulted the-steamer resumed her vovage to Gjsborne.