KETCH DESTROYED.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 187, 12 September 1914, Page 14

KETCH DESTROYED.

ENGINEER BURNED TO DEATH. ' Press Association. AUCKLAND, September 11. A fire broke out in the auxiliary ketcli Endeavour in Rangitoto Channel this afternoon, and as the result the vessel sustained serioxis damage an/1 the-engineer, Phillip James Kunst, was so severely burned that he died from his injuries. The Endeavour left the Queen Street wharf at 2.45 p.m. for Whangarei and was towed back to port two hours later with the after-part of her hull burned. When the fire broke out the after-part was quickly a mass of flames, shooting out of the cabin companion-way. The unfortunate engineer was seen groping his way out of the engine-room through the smoke and flames. He was . helped on to the deck by the captain, and was seen to be seriously burned, and in great paiii. Cax>tain Ragg signalled to the patrol boat to signal to the Harbour Board's tug Te Awhina for assistance. The ttig was then off Rangitoto, and in a few minutes was alongside.the,burning vessel. Captain Gardiner immediately ordered the hose to be connected up, and a steady flow of water was played on the flames. Before the tugcame to the rescue the crew of the Endeavour had succeeded in preventing the flames from spreading to the forward part of the ship by forming .a bucket brigade. With dense smoke issuing from her after-cabin, the Endeavour was towed by the Te Awhina into port, and berthed across the end of the Queen Street wharf. The city fire brigade was then summoned, and, with theassistance* of the fire-float, the vessel's cabin and en-

gine-room were flooded and the fire extinguished. Dr. Usher and Dr. Sharman were summoned, and, after attending to Kunst, ordered his removal to the hospital. The cook of the Endeavour, W. Suttcliffe, was also slightly burned about the head and face, and was removed to ths hospital.

Captain Ragg states that the engineer at the time was filling the fuel tank from a tin, and the liquid must have become ignited by some means. There was no explosion. The whole of the after-cabins and engine-room were gutted, and the flames burst through the cabin roof, and scorched the sails and mast. The vessel 'a hull on the port side aft was almost burned through. The holds and forward part were not damaged in any way. The Endeavour is an auxiliary screw vessel of- 76 tons,gross, and is owned by the New Zealand Portland Cement Company, Limited. She is fitted with a 30 horse-power engine, and is engaged in the cement-carrying trade between Limestone Island and Auckland.

Kunst was very severely burned about the arms and face and'the upper portion of his body. He died at a late hour. Pie was a single man, about oO years of age, and resided in Ponsonby. After having his injuries attended to Suttcliffe was able • to go to his home.