FIRE ON MARAMA

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10881, 22 April 1921, Page 5

FIRE ON MARAMA

EXCITEMENT AT SEA. OUTBREAK ~IN FAN-ROOM. Considerable consternation was caused among the passengers on the Union Steam Ship Company’s R.M.S. Marama during her last trip from Wellington to San. Francisco, by an outbreak of fire while at sea. The fire originated in th 6 fan-room, near the engine-room, and tee volumes of smoke o&rne up from below, but the prompt application of water from the ship’s hose extinguished all traces of lire within a. quarter of an hour. The incident occurred on March 17th, six day's after leaving Papeete for Sail Francisco. At 9 o’clock in the morning, just after the passengers had finished breakfast, and were strolling about the decks, volumes of smoke came up from the vicinity of the en-gine-room, and the alarm of fire was given. The passengers were somewhat oxcited at first but their fears were allayed by the reassurances of the ship’s officers. Without any confusion the ship’s hose was brought into action, and, as stated above, in a few minutes the outbreak was suppressed. The fans which are used in connection with the ship’s furnaces, apparently caused a back draught which brought coal dust into the fan-room.' This became .ignited and set fire to the oil around the tans. When the fire was extinguished the two fans were found to be badly damaged. The ship’s engineers, however, managed to temporarily repair one, so that it was able to work 24 hours after the fire. On arrived at San Francisco both fans were repaired. The only other damage was the burning of the paintwork' in the fail-room.