STRANDED STEAMER BURNED OUT

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 307, 16 December 1940, Page 8

STRANDED STEAMER BURNED OUT

MYSTERIOUS BLAZE (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright). (Received 14, 10.45 p.m.) MELBOURNE, Dec. 14. The Inter-State liner Orungal. which w’ent aground near Port Philip heads on November 21, caught fire early yesterday and was almost completely burned out. Much of the vessel’s cargo had been lightered, and an attempt was to have been made this week-end to refloat her. At Canberra, the Minister of the Navy, Mr W. M. Hughes, commenting on the fire, said that the affair seemed to have a sinister significance. He announced that he would order an official inquiry. Discovered at 2.30 a.m., the fire sw'ept quickly through the ship, gaining a strong hold in the large quantities of crude oil aboard. Out of a salvage crew of CO aboard at the time, only two suffered slight injuries. Both men were trapped in the engine-room while fighting the fire. It is believed in Melbourne that the fire was caused by spontaneous combustion. Fire broke out in the boilerroom and quickly got out of hand Thq crew acted with great courage when, at much risk, they rolled over-board large drums of oil. The preparations for refloating the vessel had been carried on in a race against, time during the week to lighten her sufficiently to atempt to tow her off on the spring tides at the weekend. The engine-room had been pumped out and steam raised to assist in the discharge of the cargo. It is believed that hopes of salvage were good, but doubts now exist whether any attempt will be made. The fire was still burning late yesterday afternoon.