ANOTHER ACCOUNT

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8647, 4 February 1914, Page 7

ANOTHER ACCOUNT

“SHE JUST BLEW UP”

SHIP ENVELOPED IN FLAMES IN

FEW SECONDS.

Special to the “Times.” WANGANUI, February 3. Few mote sensational happenings than that which has to be recorded m connection with the loss of the steamer Moa to-day in the Wanganui roadstead have occurred in the history of New Zealand shipping. So far as can be gathered from the meagre information procurable from those who were aboard the steamer, there c.an be no doubt that it is little short of marvellous that any are left alive. Just what caused 'the explosion must be left to conjecture at present, but what is known is that shortly after 9 o’clock, as the Moa, which had _ slowed down to a dead stop, was waiting for the signals to take the bar, a noise akin to the report of a big gun was heard aboard, and the vessel was shaken in an alarming fashion. Startled by the explosion, those on board had not long to wait before they realised that the cargo of benzine and kerosene was in flames, and that it would bo lucky if any of them got ashore alive. ENVELOPED IN FIRE. Almost simultaneous with the report flames darted from the afterhold, and shot along like lightning to the engine-room and to the fore-hold, and belched forth with a roar from the portholes and the funnel. Captain Sawyers asked a sailor to run below and procure a couple of flags so as to signal for assistance. The man dashed below and up again in the twinkling of on eye, having grabbed some flags, but he had had no time to ascertain if they were the right ones, as sheets of flames were leaping into the chart room, and the man was badly burned in his effort to secure the flags. In any case there was no time to hoist the siguals, as with startling rapidity the : flames were bursting out in all directions. “SAUVE QUI PEUT.” An attempt was made to launch the boats, but although only two or three minutes had elapsed since the first explosion the little boats were already in flames. There was, therefore, nothing for it but for those on board to jump into the sea. The captain ordered the men to secure lifebuoys, belts, or anything they could get which would float, and to throw them overboard and then jump into the sea themselves. The skipper himself, seeing a man in the water without a lifebelt, throw him his, though he himself could not swim. He then smashed up an empty case, and grabbing two pieces put one under each arm and jumped into the sea. He managed, by treading water, to keep afloat until the Arapawa’s boat picked him up half an hour or so later. BLOWN OUT OP HIS BUNK. One of the firemen named Higgins had a sensational experience. He waa asleep in his berth aft when the explosion occurred, and it blew his bunk to pieces, and ho was tumbled out on to the floor. He went on deck, where ho saw the body of the man Kennedy lying on the after hatch. Ho went up and shook Kennedy by the shoulders, but saw that he was dead, having been shockingly hurt about the top ot the bead. By this time Higgins found that a wall of flame had formed between whore he was and the bridge, and ho 'was cut off from the rest of his mates. Thinking ho might as well be blown up as drowned, Higgins went below and got a lifebuoy from his cabin. While down there a second small explosion occurred. He rushed on deck again and jumped over.“SHE JUST BLEW UP.” The captain, when asked how the disaster happened, said:—“Well, she just blew up. We loft Wellington at 7 o’clock last night with a cargo of benzine. At about 10 o’clock this morning, when coming up to the 'Wanganui entrance and about six miles off it tho after-hatch suddenly blew up, and in a, minute or two half the ship was in flames.” “I suppose it was then a case of every man for himself?”- said the reporter. “Well, wo didn’t lost our heads,” replied the captain, “but there was no

time for anything hut to get overboard. We couldn’t launch the boats, because of the heat and because they were taking fire, so I got the men overboard on© by one on to pieces of timber and lifebuoys, and we wore m tho water for about half an hour when the Arapawa’s boat picked us up.” FIREMAN’S LUCKY ABSENCE. It is said that one of the firemen, named Nelson, who was on duty, had just left the engineroom to attend to something on deck when the exolosion occurred. It is believed that Kad he or anyone else been below at the time they must have perished. The cook was in the galley wondering what he would prepare for dinner at the time of the first explosion. Instinct seemed to tell him that the vessel was doomed, and he grabbed his money from a recess in the corner of the cupboard and rushed on deck. He tlius saved his month’s wages, but the rest of the crew (except Greenwood, tho engineer) lost all their wages and other belongings. VALUABLE FLOTSAM. Greenwood, in the one or two brief minutes which elapsed from the time of tho first alarm until he had to jump for it, had noticed a wicker basket into which he threw some of this things and tied the lid on with his braces. He then threw the basket into the sea. Subsequently he leapt overboard, but thought no more of the basket until after he had been picked up, and it drifted about until the Huit came upon the scene an hour or so later. Some of tho crow on the Huia cams upon the scene an hour or ed up, and when she reached the wharf Greenwood was agreeably surprised to find some of his belongings had thus luckily been saved. Nelson, the fireman who was injured, appeared to be taking his hurts very philosophically, hut when asked to give an account of the affair said tho whole matter happened so suddenly that there was very little to say. “Something hit me and nearly stunned me, but I was able to climb up on deck and jump overboard. The tire spread like lightning, and the heat was terrific. We were afraid it would spread to the fore-hatch, and all had to jump for it.”

At the time of telegraphing (9 o’clock) the vessel is blazing furiously about two miles from the breakwater, to the south and close in to tho shore. Hundreds of people are down at Castlecliff watching the burning steamer, the flames from which present a grand spectacle, lighting up the shore and the sea for miles.