LAUNCH ON FIRE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21647, 13 November 1933, Page 10

LAUNCH ON FIRE

I ESCAPE OF OCCUPANTS HASTY JUMP INTO DINGHY FLAMES SPREAD RAPIDLY TOTAL LOSS OF VESSEL On its first trip of the season, the 24-foot launch Kerry caught fire, off North Head lato on Saturday night, and in a few moments was blazing so fiercely that the five persons on board, including a 10-year-old girl, had barely time to escape in a dinghy before abandoning the boat. The owner of the launch, Mr. A. M. Jackson, of 150 Victoria Boad, Dcvonport, suffered rather severe burns to the right hand in an effort to extinguish the flames, but the other occupants escaped unhurt. They were Mr. Robert Tait, of King Edward Parade, Dcvonport, Mr. Ronald Morrison, of Ponsonby, Mr. Edward Nelson, of Point Chevalier, and his young daughter. Dinghy Carried by Chance The presence of the dinghy was the principal factor in preventing a tragedy, and it was only through fortuitous circumstances that it was being towed at the time. A week-end trip to Rangitoto Island had been arranged hv Mr. Jackson, and on receiving word of this, Mr. 1 ait, who wished to get the dinghy across to tho island, suggested that Mr. Jackson might take it in tow, Mr. Jackson agreeing. Tho position of the occupants of tho launch, if they had been forced to take to the water in abandoning the boat, would have been a most serious one. As it was, they escaped without even a wetting. The Kerry left Dcvonport shortly after 10 o'clock, but before it had gone far the carburetter began to give trouble and the engine started misfiring. Mr. Jackson went below to make adjustments, leaving Mr. Tait to steer tho launch. Just off North Head, the engine back-fired, igniting the mixture in tho carburetter. Mr. Jackson threw his coat over tho flames, but could not check them before they had reached the petrol tank, in which there were six gallons of benzine. A Sheet of Flame In a moment the engine-room was a sheet of flame and Mr. Jackson escaped only in time. The launch was not a great distance off the shore, and, as it was under way, it was headed for the rocks, so that if it sank salvage work could ho carried out. In the meantime, the occupants of the Kerry hastily escaped into the dinghy and rowed ashore, being unable to do more than watch the boat burn furiously down to the water's edge. It went aground on a ledge of rocks and was left there. A rising tide, however, refloated it, and it apparently drifted off before sinking into tho very deep water which runs off North Head. A launch was sent out yesterday to try to locate the shell and salvage the engine at least, but no sign could be found.

The Kerry, which was valuer] by Mr. Jackson r.t £l5O, was insured for £IOO with the Northern Assurance Company. In addition to the loss of the launch, ?>lr. Jackson has lost a considerable amount of personal property which was on tho vessel, while the other occupants also Inst articles of clothing which they had no time to recover before abandoning the launch.