INCENDIARISM ON MORRO CASTLE?

Horowhenua Chronicle, 12 September 1934, Page 5

INCENDIARISM ON MORRO CASTLE?

WILD PARTIES ON BOARD, (By Telegraph-Press Assn. —Copyright). (Received' Tuesday, 8 pan.) NEW YORK, Sept. 10. Captain Warms testified that a looker in the writing-room “blew out” at the start of the fatal fire. *‘l believe there was gasoline or kerosene in it,” he said. He denied reports that the lifeboats had left the ship without orders, and said that the panic was created by the passengers, many of whom refused to get into the lifeboats. Captain Warms told of many wild parties aboard on the boat. He s'aid lie understood six young girls were so intoxicated that it was necessary to oarry them from their staterooms. Captain Warms added that he was -continually on the bridge after the death of Captain Wilmott, as the weather was rough and the visibility poor. He was informed about a.m. of the fire in the library and sent the first mate to investigate. He himself never left the bridge during the entire episode, basing his. judgment on the reports of his subordinates. The alarm was withheld for a full' hour in the belief that the flames could be -controlled. According to the first and second mates the fire was in the library, and their efforts to extinguish it were futile. Then an explosion occurred in a locker, which must have contained petrol, kerosene or other inflammables. At once the fire was completely out of control and the crew proceeded to rescue work on their individual initiative, some handling themselves rvell and, they were forced fo admit, others poorly.

A message from Ashbury Park states that two explosions in the wreck of the Morro Castle on Monday dcoided officials to withdraw searchers for fear of further blasts. The officials feel that the fire should be allowed to burn out before the operations are continued.