FIRE AT SEA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22976, 2 March 1938, Page 10

FIRE AT SEA

SYDNEY STEAMER SECRET FROM PASSENGERS "A NASTY SITUATION" RACE WITH TIME SUCCEEDS [FROM OCR OWN corkespondbnt] SYDNEY, Feb. 26 With a serious file in Xo. 1 hold threatening the safety of 75 passengers, the steamer Hunter raced ai full speed during a night voyage from Newcastle to Sydney in the teeth of a southeasterly gale. ( To avoid panic tho master of the Hunter, Captain R. de Lucey, swore his crew to secrecy and the passengers were kept in complete ignorance of the fire until they saw the firo float como alongside after the Hunter had anchored safely in Sydney Harbour. As the early rising passengers came on to the deck the first mate gathered them and took them to morning tea in the saloon. While the Hunter plunged through the heavy seas tho conversation was steered clear of any reference to fire. Once the Hunter reached port the fire was quickly under control. The Captain's Narrative It is believed tho fire was caused by gpontaneous combustion among bales of wool and bags of zinc oxide in the lower hold. Tho Hunter suffered no structural damage. At 3.15 a.m., about half-way between ports, Captain do Lucey noticed smoke issuing from the hold, just below the bridge. "I closed down everything at once," he said. "My fear was that the smouldering cargo down below would burst into flames. I made no attempt to open the hatch or to send steam into I the hold. Bottle it up and run for Svdney was my plan. '•lt was a nasty situation. I had to make the right decision. One tiling I did not want to do and that was to lot the passengers know that we were ablaze. At 3.30 a.m. I sent off a wireless message. 1 asked Sydney to advise our manager and the fire floats that we had a firo in the forehold, and that I was coming at'full speed to Sydney, and that I thought the fire was under control. "Crew was Wonderful" "The crew was wonderful. They did gplendid work and they kept the secret. 1 mustered all hands—firemen, sailors, and stewards —and told them that we were on fire. On no account, I told them, should the passengers be told. "It was a bumpy_ voyage. The sea was rough, and the wind was practically straight ahead of us. As we raced on, the sailors were preparing the lifeboats. The covers were removed and they were swung from the chocks, all ready to drop into the 'water. It was touch and go." Dense Column of Smoke ' Belching a dense column of smoke from her funnel, the Hunter came up to the Heads at 5.44 a.m. She kept on at full speed to Bradley's Head, and swung into Athol Bight, dropping anchor. Firemen were quickly on hoard and as the hatch covers were lifted, a dense volume of pungent smoke surged upward, revealing that the fire had sec ured a firm grip. The fire was located m the lower hold, in wool and bags of zinc oxide. In a little more than an hour the flames were out and the Hunter went to her wharf.