FIRE AT SEA.
PASSENGER’S ACCOUNT. EXPERIENCE ON ORMONDE. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Sept. 28. A vivid account of tho passengers’ experiences on tho Orient liner Urnionde when a fire broke out in the No. 4 hatch on September 23, while the ship was between Melbourne and Sydney, was given this morning by Mrs H. Fisher, who arrrived by the Awatea. “I cannot speak too highly of the work of tho omcers, crew, and stewards during the trying ordeal,” she said. “They were heroes all, and should be given medals. At no time was there any panic, and the officers and stewards did every tiling possible for the 320 passengers, the majority of whom were women and children.”
The first indications passengers hud of a misUap was when the Urmonde suddenly reduced speed and shut oif the engines. Everyone ruslied to the deck to see what had occurred, bmoke was observed issuing from the ventilators and other parts of the ship. The fears of the passengers were considerably allayed by the . officers, who said a fire iiad occurred in one of the holds, .but that there was nu great danger. Everyone, however, was ordered to don a lifebelt and stand by the boat stations. The boats were suspended over the side.
“it was a most trying experience for those of us who had little children, but the stewards were wonderful,” Mrs Fisher said. “My little girl was terrified when the lifebelt was fastened round her, but the steward, busy as he was, had a little talk to her and the child went on deck with me quite happy, making sure she took her doll.” Mrs Fisher said that she and many of the passengers kept their lifebelts on all night. They did not sleep a wink. The forward saloons were extensively damaged and looked as though an earthquake had occurred. The fire was got under control, and the Ormonde, which put into Twofold Bay in the event of an emergency landing of the passengers, later proceeded to Sydney. The majority of New Zea-land-bound passengers had joined the Maunganui for Wellington.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MS19360929.2.157
Bibliographic details
Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 258, 29 September 1936, Page 8
Word Count
349FIRE AT SEA. Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 258, 29 September 1936, Page 8
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Manawatu Standard. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in