LINER SET ON FIRE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19249, 15 February 1937, Page 13

LINER SET ON FIRE

ACTION OF MADMAN

FIGIIT TN ATLANTIC GALE

LIFEBELTS ISSUED

GOTHENBURG, Dee. 19.

A madman’s attempt to burn the Swedish liner, Gripsholm, .18,000 tons, in mid-Atlantic, was revealed when the vessel arrived here to-day.

The madman, a former ship’s mate who was travelling us a third-class passenger from San Francisco to Sweden, set. lire to the third-class dining-room during the night. Christmas decorations blazed up. and .the whole dining-room was a mass of flames.

Passengers were roused, lifebelts issued and lifeboats swung out. in ease of need.

Members of the crew worked furiously and soon had the flames under control. In addition to the diningroom a staircase leading to it was also damaged. PA SSEXG Ell S O VP.II GOM E

Throe passengers and one o) llio engineers were overcome by 1 nines. There was considerable alarm among the third-class passengers, many of whom were already in a state of anxiety owing to the gale. But the reassurances of the officers and crow prevented any panic. The majority of the lirst and second class passengers wore unaware of the lire until next morning. When roused and given lifebelts they thought it was because of the severity of the storm.

The man who started the blaze was taken to tho sick bay. On arrival heie he was found to be of unsound mind and sent to a lunatic asylum. A statement issued by the SwcdishAmorican Line to-night says: “The fire was discovered by a watchman, who informed the ship’s officers. Passengers were quietly asked to leave their cabins adjoining the dining-room. “There was no panic. Later, passengers expressed their appreciation of the* splendid discipline of the ship’s officers and crew and the good work of the ship’s fire brigade.”