FIRE ON A HULK.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1189, 14 December 1894, Page 29

FIRE ON A HULK.

About 3 o’clock on Sunday, Dec. 9, a fire broke out on the hulk Jean Pierre, lying in the harbour, which resulted in the almost total ■ destruction of the enginehouse. The outbreak was observed by Constable Murphy, who at once roused the Harbour Board nightwatchmen (H. Tamm and J. Murphy) and George Smith, the Union Company's nightwatchman. Some delay occurred in getting a boat, but at length one was procured, arid, together with Clements, keeper of another hulk, the party proceeded to the scene of the' fire, taking with them as many buckets as could be obtained. On arrival they found the engine-house in a blaze, and loss no time in arousing Henry Hayes (who was in charge of the hulk) and his wife and three children. The task of extinguishing the fire was not accomplished without considerable difficulty, but all the men worked with a will, Smith especially distinguishing himself, and after about half an hour’s hard work the outbreak was subdued. * By this time Weddie, the Harbour Board’s night watchman at the Bailway Wharf, and Scoones, who was in charge of a hulk at that wharf, had arrived on the scene, and a boat’s crew from H.M.S. Eoyalist, with an engine and hose, had also turned out, but their services were not required. Great praise is due to Constable Murphy and the nightwatchmen for the promptitude and energy they displayed, but for which Hayes and his wife and children might have been in considerable peril, and the hulk, to which another hulk was moored, would probably have been destroyed. .

The engine-house, which was only lately erected, was gutted, but the engine, we understand, escaped without much damage, The hulk is the largest in the harbour, and is owned by the Blackball Company.