FIRE ON THE STEAMER RUAHINE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1265, 28 May 1896, Page 37

FIRE ON THE STEAMER RUAHINE.

AN OFFICER, TRYING TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES, HAS HIS LEG BROKEN. A rather serious outbreak of fire occurred on board the Ruahine on Friday (May 22) about 2.30, the cause of which is set down as spontaneous combustion. The fire was first noticed in the insulating lining of tho freezing chamber by Air Frank Corbett, tho freezing engineer, who in trying to extinguish the flames got his leg caught in the feeder of tho engine, and a very nasty fracture was the result, Air Corbett falling over the machinery and remaining in a painful and dangerous position until lie was extricated. The carpenter, Air P. Allen, who rushed to help, was rather badly burned by the steam which was raised by tho water thrown on the burning material. The fire was, however, soon extinguished, before it had caused very serious damage, except to tho wall of tho chamber in which tho outbreak occurred, and which was burnt through. The largo quantity of frozen moat had to bo removed and taken back to the works ; the vessel proceeded to Lyttelton without it, and will be detained there until tho repairs are completed. Air Corbett was removed to tho Hospital after having tho broken leg sot by Dr O’Gorman, tho ship’s surgeon, and ho is now progressing as favourably as can be expected. Air P. Allen, tho carpenter, was also attended to by Dr O’Gorman, who dressed his burns, and by tho time the ship left ho was able to walk about. As there was no danger or damage to the vessel herself or tho working parts of the machinery, and as it was a matter of moment that the steamer should proceed on to Lyttelton with her original passengers and cargo, permission was granted for the vessel to leavo for that port. THE INSULATION QUESTION. This outbreak of fire from spontaneous combustion is not the first occurrence of the kind, and it directs attention once again to the important question of the suitable material for insulation of the freezing chambers of large steamers. Exports have been considering this subject for some years, and suggesting various substitutes for charcoal. Air J. C. Firth, of Auckland, has advocated tho uso of pumice, and other materials have also been recommended. It is hardly necessary to point out that if such an outbreak of fire occurred at sea the results might be very serious, Tho insulation in this case, it appears, is composed partly of silicate of cotton anti partly of charcoal,- but although both are charred, tho fire is generally supposed by tho engineers to have originated in the charcoal.