Terrible Mystery

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6864, 21 May 1932, Page 5

Terrible Mystery

Rush of Flames on the Phillipar DISTANT PARTS ABLAZE SIMULTANEOUSLY CAPTAIN’S OFFICIAL REPORT. United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. PARIS, May 19. Captain Vicq’s report, published by the Minister of Marine, states: — “When a woman passenger gave the alarm, I went to the spot and found the fire spreading rapidly, although the fire-fighting apparatus bad been brought into play.' I ordered the ship to lie to amid sent out an S.O.S. “The wireless post and tho subsidiary post on the captain’s bridge were aflame almost simultaneously, although far from the main seat of the outbreak. “Passengers on the deck where the fire originated were unable to leave their cabins owing to the frightful rapidity of the spread of the flames, and perished asphyxiated. A few who threw themselves into the sea were saved. “The order of evacuation was women and children, them, other passengers, then the crew and officers. “The Sovietskaia, the Contractor and the Mahsud picked up those rescued. We could have saved everybody if the incredible rapidity of the fire*had not caught the victims at tho start. “The passengers remained perfectly calm, and the officers and crew showed admirable devotion. “I left the ship at eight o’clock, when she was a huge burning mass. I was picked up by tlie Sovietskaia, which transferred survivors to the Andre Lebon at ten.’’ Missing Reduced to Fifty ALLEGATION THAT SLEEPERS WERE NOT CALLED. PARIS, May 19. The missing are now believed to total fifty. Some of the people who had booked at Saigon did not travel. An English passenger asserts that the deaths were due to failure to awaken sleepers.