OPIHI ON FIRE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19816, 15 June 1926, Page 8

OPIHI ON FIRE.

NUMBER TWO HOLD ABLAZE. • BERTHED AT NEW PLYMOUTH. CARGO BADLY DAMAGED. OUTBREAK COMPLETELY SUBDUED. (Pbh United Press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, June 14. A lire broke out on the steamer Opihi when about an hour and a-half’s steaming time from New Plymouth this morning, and she arrived off the port at 9.50 a.ivi. with smoke issuing freely from Iso. 2 hold. Fearing that the port authorities had decided not to berth her, owing to the unusually rough weather prevailing. Captain Fish signalled at once that there was a lire in the hold, and the vessel came alongside the Moturoa wharf immediately. Water from the wharf mains was poured into her at once by the ship a officers, the crew, and the waterside workers, the Fire Brigade supplementing their efforts later. Throughout the afternoon special gangs toiled assiduously unloading the smouldering cargo, the hoses being used at the same time. By 8.30 to-night the fire was completely subdued, and all the damaged cargo had been removed. The cause of the outbreak is unknown. It was at first attributed to the lime cargo at the bottom of the hold, but this was afterwards disproved. The Opihi had on board 1000 tons of southern general cargo. The New Plymouth cargo was burnt or damaged, ihe ship was not alfected by the lire. The men had a strenuous time during the unloading operations. Immediately the hatches were lifted a dense cloud of smoke emerged, which made the unloading extremely difficult. The workers soon disposed of the topmost portion of the cargo, which consisted chiefly of machinery, piping, and lime. Following the use of the hoses there arose dense volumes of steam, which made matters more uncomfortable. The steam gradually disappeared, exposing dilapidated sacks of flour, bran, and wheat, many of which had burst open. Shortly after 1 o’clock much of the burnt cargo was revealed. Soon the men were toiling in masses of bran, flour, wheat, and roasted potatoes. Articles of furniture were hoisted up and stowed in trucks among a disordered array of sacks. By 7 o’clock little smoke issued forth, and by that time it was necessary to shovel the cargo into the baskets. Each basket carried a saturated mixture of salt, flour, and lime. At 7.30 the workers reached the seat of the fire, and operations ceased soon after.