FIRE ON VALVERDA

Southland Times, Issue 22488, 24 January 1935, Page 7

FIRE ON VALVERDA

FLAMES NOW CHECKED. ENGINEER SUCCUMBS TO INJURIES. (British Official Wireless). Rugby, January 22. Fears for the lives of the crew of 40 on the British oil tanker Valverda, which is on fire in the Atlantic about 1200 miles east of the Bahamas, have now been removed. The fire has been checked and last night it was confined to the after part of the poop deck. The engines, however, are completely disabled and the officers and crew are anxiously awaiting assistance in response to their wireless calls. The small French vessel, Petite Terre, was reported to be standing by late last night. Meanwhile the British cruiser, Frobisher which has a maximum speed of 30J knots, and the netlayer Guardian, of the British Navy, are approaching the Valverda. The Admiralty received a message from the Frobisher that she intended taking the Valverda in tow at daybreak this morning, although the weather was then unpropitious. The Guardian expected to arrive on the scene at 2 p.m. The Dutch cargo steamer, Costa Rica, was due at 5 a.m., and the German vessel, Saarlander, at 11 a.m. A message received to-day by the. Glasgow owners of the Valverda stated that the fire was now confined to the refrigerator and that the vessel was in no immediate danger. The third engineer, Mr Taylor, had succumbed to his injuries, while all the others were safe.