CANADIAN PIONEER ABLAZE

Otago Witness, Issue 3595, 6 February 1923, Page 63

CANADIAN PIONEER ABLAZE

A MYSTERIOUS OUTBREAK. MEN’S TERRIBLE ORDEAL, WORKING UNDER DIFFICULTIES. on. /-« ,• AUCKLAND, February 1. i he Canadian Government steamer Canadian 1 loneer, which arrived from Napier, berthed at Queen’s wharf, and her cargo was worked for four hours. Everything then appeared safe. This morning, when the sailors removed the hatches at 730 smoke issued from No. 2 hatch. Though the fumes Rom the burning cargo made the task difficult, two gangs of waterside workers shifted from 40 to 50 tons before they were compelled to cease, two of their number being very sick owing to the fumes. It is believed that the fire worked from the coal bunkers, or through the bulkhead into No 2 hold, on the starboard side at the bottom of the vessel. There were also signs of fire in the bunkers. Two hoses were connected with the bunkers, and two with the hold. The wharf fire float on the starboard side is pouring m 15,000 gallons of water hourly, and the big Dennis pump, worked by the fire brigade, is pouring in an additional 36,000 gallons hourly. At 10 o’clock smoke was still issuing from the hold, but it appeared that the fire was being kept under. No. 2 hold contains wool, flax, casein, and possibly tallow, loaded at southern ports, including Bluff, Lyttelton, Wellington, and Napier, and consigned to New York, Boston, and Halifax. Under the direction of Fire Superintendent Wilson and the harbourmaster, oxyacetylene drills were worked on the hull of the Canadian Pioneer, just under the bridge, which seemed the true seat of the fire. There the plates of the ship had bulged perceptibly with the enormous heat, and the paint had blistered off in great sheets. The work of blowing those holes was difficult and dangerous. The strong north-east wind had raised a swell, and the fire float rose and fell alarmingly. A stage was Towered for the men with the blowers to work from, but it was found impossible to work from this owing to the terrific heat of the hull, and the job was done from the deck of a small vessel. Six-inch circles were perforated by the blower, and then the sledges smashed an opening for three hoses. The arms of the men were scorched The tremendous quantity of water pumped in caused the Canadian Pioneer to take a heavy list, to the port- rail off her main deck, the bulwark being on a level with the wharf, while the starboard rail was canted high on the seaward side. By midday the fire in the bunkers was extinguished, and the ship is now safe. In the afternoon efforts were commenced to clear the damaged hold of her cargo, which was stored in the Harbour Board’s shed in a teeming rain. At 5 o’clock the main seat of the fire at the bottom of the hold had not been reached. At the same time a commencement was made to pump out the water which flooded the lower part of the ship to a depth of 10ft. Pumping and the discharging of the cargo will be resumed to-morrow. In addition to the cargo loaded at southern ports the Canadian Pioneer carried 420 tons of general cargo consigned to Auckland from Montreal, and 30 tons from Adelaide. As this cargo was stored in No. 1 and No. 4 holds it escaped. The steamer is insured by the owners under their own scheme at Montreal, while the cargo is insured by the consignees with various offices. No estimate of the damage is available. The vessel was to have sailed for New York to-morrow night or Saturday morning, but will "be delayed four or five days for temporary structural repairs A FRESH OUTBREAK. AUCKLAND, February 2. A fresh outbreak of fire on the Canadian Pioneer at 7 o’clock last night was extinguished at 1 a.m. to-day. At about noon pumps were ejecting water from the hull at the rate of 15,060 gallons an hour. The wool is being discharged at the rate of 60 bales an hour. The flax will not be dis charged until the coal is taken from the bunkers to relieve the pressure on the bulkhead.