A Fire At Sea

Southland Times, Issue 21997, 22 April 1933, Page 18

A Fire At Sea

One very calm, peaceful night about the middle of June I was on deck, as it was my watch. It was getting on towards twelve o’clock when I smelt smoke. I walked along to where I thought the smell came from. Sure enough the smoke was rising through cracks in the wood. I lifted up the entrance to the hold and a dense cloud of smoke met me. I was dazed for some time; but I soon grasped the situation and shouted “Fire, fire.” Quickly everybody was on deck, and fighting the fire. The fat cook threw a bucket overboard with a rope tied to it for some water to throw at the fire; but he forgot to hold on to the rope and lost the bucket and rope. There were three sets of hose on board, so I got them out and spouted them at the fire. Very soon one burst and the water caught the captain under the chin and he fell over on his back on to the deck. The first mate was running to help one of the passengers over to a safe place when he tripped over an obstacle in the way and fell with a big splash into a tub of water nearby. The captain quickly ordered the ship to be abandoned, after we had sent out several S.O.S. messages. Everybody clambered into the row-boats, and we soon reached the shore, and safety. —1 mark to Cousin Ernest Grey (10), 10 Hardy street, Georgetown.