THE FIRE ON THE IRISH MONARCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13397, 28 January 1907, Page 5

THE FIRE ON THE IRISH MONARCH.

AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE.

Thk steamer Irish Monarch arrived from New York and Australia on Saturday morning with a part cargo of general merchandise. The steamer, it will be remembered, caught lire in the after hold, when about 200 miles from Melbourne, and reached that port on December 31. when the fire was stiii raging. The outbreak was discovered by the officer on watch seeing sparks escaping' from the ventilators of the after-hatch, and he immediately raised an alarm. All available, hands were promptly summoned, and a hurried examination disclosed that a serious outbreak of tire had occurred in the hold. So fiercely wa« it burning that the. iron decks in the vicinity were almost red hot, and threatened to ignite a quantity of deck cargo, comprising cases of carbide of calcium and parcels of resin, whilst the flames roared up through the ventilators in great volumes. To have attempted opening the hatches would, ii was considered, have had the effect of fanning the lire, into greater fury, and possibly result in the total destruction of the vessel. Captain Graham, therefore, determined to smother up the ventilators, in the hope that by cutting oh all currents of air through the hold the progress of the names would at least be checked until the vessel could reach port. This was accordingly done, sacks, sailcloth, etc., being used. Meanwhile, the danger of the deck cargo taking lire from the fierce heat became more imminent, and all hands were set up to work to jettison the cases of carbide of calcium. As niav be imagined, this task was one of great hardship, but was speedily accomplished, no fewer than 1000 cases being thrown overboard. A similar fate would have attended the barrels of resin, but owing to their great weight they could not be handled, and remained oil board. Although the crew were probably unaware of the fact, large quantities of kerosene and turpentine, were stored in the burning hold over which they conducted the work of jettisoning the deck cargo. Luckily, the operation of smothering the ventilators proved the best step that could have been adopted, for, much to tinrelief of all, the tire, as far as could be judged, was at least making no headway. The decks, however, continued insufferably hot, whilst the ventilators were .blistered and blackened as if they had been in a furnace. Nothing further could be done towards subduing the tire, but tl 9 vessel steamed'as rapidly as possible to port, arriving without further developments. The tire was subsequently got under control, The cargo damaged was consigned to Melbourne and Lyttelton.