STEAMER ON FIRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23222, 21 June 1937, Page 8

STEAMER ON FIRE

OUTBREAK ON MACDHUI DISTRESS CALL PICKED UP THE PASSENGERS DISEMBARKED (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 20. The Acting Director-general of the Post and Telegraph Department (Mr F. J. Shanks) has received the following information from the Auckland radio station:—-"A distress call was picked up by this station at 2.45 a.m. to-day from the s.s. Macdhui, stating that she was on fire. She left Lae at 8 p.m. for Manus. Her position was given as off Fortification Point, New Guinea. Several distress calls were sent out by the Macdhui and she was assisted by the Sydney, Brisbane, Townsville, and Thursday Island radio stations. At 4.7 a.m. the ship told the Townsville radio station t\at the fire was confined to the engineroom and, so far as was known, had not reached the bunkers, but was very severe. It was established that the s.s. Neptuna was the nearest vessel to the Macdhui, and that the ship was instructed by her agents to go to the Macdhui's assistance.

"At 6.18 a.m., parts of a message from the Sydney radio to Townsville were intercepted, which showed that the fire broke out at 1 a.m., and was under control at 4 a.m. The passengers had disembarked in boats and the ship was drifting off Fortification Point. The Sydney and Townsville radio stations were subsequently frequently in communication with the Macdhui, and a short-wave schedule with Sydney was arranged."

The Macdhui is a motor vessel of 4561 tons, owned by Messrs Burns, Philp and Co., Ltd. She is engaged in the Sydney-New Guinea trade. FIRE APPARENTLY SUBDUED NEPTUNA HURRYING TO SCENE SYDNEY, June 20. (Received June 20, at 11.12 p.m.) Advice has been received by wireless that the Burns, Philp motor ship Macdhui is on fire off Fortification Point, New Guinea. The reports state that at 1 a.m. fire broke out in the fuel oil when the vessel was en route from Lae to Madang. The fire developed seriously. The passengers took to the boats, but after a little time the fire was subdued. The passengers, numbering 38. returned to the vessel at 5 a.m. Shortly afterwards fire was discovered in No. 4 hatch, and it was deemed advisable to put the 150 native members of the crew ashore. The vessel was only six miles off the coast. The passengers were still aboard. . " ft The latest advice, received at 5.30 this afternoon, stated that the hatch had been sealed. The fire apparently had been subdued. The steamer Neptuna, which was 300 miles away when the fire broke out, is going to the Macdhui's assistance and will probably tow her to Madang. The Neptuna cannot arrive at the scene before to-morrow.