FIRE ON STEAMER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 62, 9 February 1933, Page 8

FIRE ON STEAMER.

SUPPRESSED AFTER SOME HOURS.

Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 9

Fire broke out on the steamer Cumberland early this morning and was suppressed after some hours. The lire apparently started 'tween decks which contained a large quantity of flax with mutton underneath. The outbreak was discovered by a greaser, who noticed smoke issuing lrom No. 4 hold into the refrigerating machinery room. The brigade, assisted by the dredge Te Whaka, poured water on to the flames. When portion of the hatches were lifted it was found that the fire was not as serious as at first appeared. It was confined to the port side of the after end of the hold beneath a lifeboat. An estimate of the damage is not available yet. The Cumberland is fairly heavily laden as she has only one more port of call in New Zealand. ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS. The No. 4 hold contained 100 bales of flax in ’twteen decks and is just aft the engine room and adjacent to the oil fuel tanks. The lower portion of the hold contains a large quantity of frozen meat. When one of the doors of the bulkhead was opened the fire was blazing fiercely. The deck above the hatch was very hot and difficulty was experienced in getting at the seat of the outbreak.

Tlie whole of the crew were engaged in lowering derricks and plearing the decks to prevent anything falling on the firemen. The fire brigade, the crew a.nd members of the harbour board staff who were fighting the flames were hampered owing to the density of the smoke which was particularly trying. Smoke helmets had to be used. At 2 a.m. a hole was cut in the deck in order to play the hoses on the top of the hold and soon the fire was under control. The Cumberland was to have left to-day for Port Chalmers for the final loading. She was scheduled to leave there next Tuesday for London.