EXCITING EXPERIENCE ON A COAL SHIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10970, 26 January 1899, Page 6

EXCITING EXPERIENCE ON A COAL SHIP.

A i.kttkk received in Sydney the other day. by the Cape mail, from the captain of the British ship Sierra Lucena, gives particulars of a fire which occurred on board the ves'el while at sea. The Sierra Lncena left the Tyne at the end of September last, with a cargo of about 2500 tons of coal, and ISO tons of firebricks, for Mauritius. All went well until thje early morning of December 8. At about six o'clock a volume of smoke and gas poured from the hutches, and continued to do so all the day and till late at night. At nine o'clock the next morning it was found that the cargo was oil fire, and it was decided to make at once for the Cape of Good Hope. One unpleasant feature was tliat the gas found its way to every part below deck, the smell making it impossible for the men to no there, while the only 'adv oil board (Mrs. Murdoch, the captain's wife) became sick from litis cause. The weathei continued bad. and on December 10 the temperature of the main hold had reached 96 degree*. The situation was now serious, and it whs deemed advisable to get provisions and water packed into the ship's boats should tliev be driven to their last resource, and have to take to them, which was not a very pleasant prospect, with the land still distant and I- heavy sea running, By four o'clock on the i",lining of December 11, the temperature between decks had risen to 10?deg., and large volumes of smoke were wring forth out of the main and scuttle hatches. At about eleven o'clock all on board were startled by a loud explosion in the fnrehold, which blew up the four hatches, ami being followed by a big rush of smoke and steam and the smell of gas. By half-past eleven a.m. the temperature between decks was lOSdeg. However, the immediate danger of the worn-out crew was nearly over, for nt half-past sk o'duik that evening the vessel medc C'aptetnwn. The work of .subdoing the fire was then commenced, hundreds of tons of watir being pumped into the hold. Night anil ilav gangs of native labourers, who were relieving the completely worn-out crew, were kept busy getting the colli out of the hold into lighters Iving alongside, and at h't the seat of the fire was reached, and bv eleven a.m. on the lltli Ihe fire was extinguished. That the Sierra I.ucen-i had a narrow escape is evident, and it is needles to say that the feeling of all oil board was one of thankfulness that they got throiHi is well as th»v did.