FIRE ON A STEAMER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20242, 30 April 1929, Page 12

FIRE ON A STEAMER.

DAMAGE DONE ON SUSSEX.

CARGO FOR NEW ZEALAND. FLOODING OF ONE HOLD. Advice received by the local office of the Union Steam Ship Company yesterday states that a serious fire broko out in No. 4 hold of the steamer Sussex shortly after she left Samarang last Friday morning, and the vessel had to put back to port, where the hold was flooded with water before the fire could bo subdued. The vessel was fully loaded with Eastern produco from Calcutta, Rangoon, Singapore, Penang and Samarang, for discharge at Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton and Dunedin. She was scheduled to reach Auckland on May 15. According to advices tlie cargo in No. 4 hold consisted mostly of rice, bonemeal and pineapples loaded at Rangoon. It was hoped that the fire would be extinguished on Sunday, and as soon as possiblo the cargo will be unloaded from the hold. Whether the fire has damaged the structure of the vessel or whether any water found its way into the other holds will not he known until No. 4 hold is emptied. It is now not certain when the vessel will reach New Zealand. Tho Sussex is a steel steamer of 6957 tons and is owned by tho Federal Steam Navigation Company. For the last four years she has been chartered by the Union Company and used in tho Indian trade. Besides cargo she has accommodation for about 12 passengers.