FIRE ON THE S.S. KAWAU.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13084, 25 January 1906, Page 5

FIRE ON THE S.S. KAWAU.

About half-past two o'clock •on Tuesday morning a fire broke out on board the Settlers' Steamship Company's s.s. Kawau, while the vessel was moored alongside the wharf at Mangawai. The engineer (Mr. Long), whose cabin adjoins the engineroom, was awakened at the hour mentioned by thick smoke and flames entering his cabin from the engineroom, and immediately aroused the captain and members of the crew. Being unable to get at the donkey engine, in order to use the ship's hose, owing to the position of the fire, a bucket brigade was formed, and the fire was

brought sufficiently under control to enable

the hose to be brought- into play. It was, however; £ quite eight hours from' the time that the outbreak was discovered before the fire was extinguished. It is believed that the fire started in the starboard coal bunker, but its cause is so far unknown. As there were two or three tons of kauri gum in the forward hold, close to the engineroom, this was quickly removed, in order to prevent the fire spreading, as had the gum once taken fire it is practically certain that the vessel would have been burned to the water's edge. Captain P. McElwain, master of the Kawau, the engineer, and members of the crew, did splendid work in suppressing the outbreak. An examination of the steamer will be made to-day by Mr. Ji. Wetherilt, chief Government inspector f machinery.