Fire and Explosion on P.& O. Narkunda Kills Five and Injures 23

Northern Advocate, 17 July 1939, Page 5

Fire and Explosion on P.& O. Narkunda Kills Five and Injures 23

COLOMBO, JULY IC,

'J'HREE MEMBERS OP THE CREW OF THE P. AND O. LINER NARKUNDA, EN ROUTE FROM LONDON TO SYDNEY, WERE KILLED AND 23 WERE INJURED AS THE RESULT OF AN EXPLOSION, FOLLOWED BY A FIRE, IN NO. 6 HOLD. It is believed some of the 150 passengers were also injured. The victims were; —Quartermasters J. Nicholson and J. Sparks; Yeoman of the Mails H. Stearle; an unna med lascar; and a fifth man, who died in hospital. '•

-» An inquest was held aboard, and a verdict of accidental death was returned. A Bomb Burst. The second officer, Mr J. N, Sinclair, stated that when he came on deck there was an explosion. Quartermaster Downes, describing the explosion, said he was working in the sail room, and then a “bomb burst.” Bodies were terribly mangled. In some cases limbs were missing. Cause of Explosion a Mystery. Some witnesses seemed dazed with shock, and were unable to speak coherently. The cause of the explosion was not mentioned. Many of the injured in hospital are not expected to live. Tugs were hoping to extinguish the j fire, when the explosion occurred, blowing up those fighting in the fire, which was first discovered at 4.45 a.m. The vessel wirelessed to Colombo and, as the ship arrived, tugs pumped water into the hold on D deck and flooded the mailroom. The majority of the injured are Goanese stewards and lascars. Fought Flames for Hours. Fire was discovered in No. 6 hold outside the harbour. The ship wirelessed the shore and speeded up. She requested tugs and fire-fighters to stand by. The crew was mustered with fireklt and fought the flames for hours. A fire float was taken alongside immediately the Narkunda anchored, and the explosion occurred while it was pumping- in water. The fire was later extinguished. Flying the Fire Signal. No, 6 hold, where the outbreak of fire occurred, had a cargo of cork, and was in the stern. The vessel came to port flying the fire signal. Within 16 minutes of entering the port, the explosion occurred. Prior to the explosion, the chief officer sent several members of the crew to rouse the passengers, as the mailroom was over the hold that was on fire.

Hold Blown Out, Suddenly there was an explosion, with a flash of flame extending halfway up the height of the mast, and blowing out the hold, where several of Lie crew were working. Mr Playout, a passenger, was standing 10 yards from the hold, and was thrown a good distance away. He was dazed and suffered shock. Passengers in the tourist class were thrown from their bunks by the force of the explosion. The tourist class was evacuated. One passenger, describing the explosion, stated that it was like an earthquake. The shock ghook the whole vessel. The mail-room above No. 6 hold was flooded to prevent fire. Three hundred mailbags were damaged. No passengers were injured. The departure of the ship is likely to be considerably delayed. The cause of the fire has not yet been ascertained, and an inquiry is being held aboard.