SHIP AFIRE IN MID-OCEAN

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1931, Page 10

SHIP AFIRE IN MID-OCEAN

MAD RUSH FOR PORT.

.THRILLING STORY pF THE ALOE.

Durban, S.A., July 12.

A graphic story can now be told of the struggle waged by the captain and men of the Aloe against the fire which broke out jn the centre hatch, when several days distant from shore. When the decks were red hot and flames and smoke were pouring from the hatch and ventilators, a desperate effort was made to reach Port Louis. The men worked like demons m a blazing inferno, many being dragged unconscious from below, . and the lifeboats were prepared for the sea. The steamer made Mauritius just in time for, on arrival, the whole of the upper works and saloons burst into flame and it was necessary to sink the ship to put out the fire. A valuable cargo was destroyed. On resuming her journey she ran into a tremendous gale, and it was necessary to run her before the wind for a night to prevent her breaking her back. As a skeleton, she arrived in Durban on June 5. When the fire occurred she was bound for Delagoa Bay from Koh Si Chang with, a cargo of timber and, on April 6, fire was suspected in No. 3 hatch and the bunkers were found to be filling with gas. But the position was not then considered to be serious. Soon after, however, the trimmers were unable to cope with the firing owing to the amount of heat and gas, but, even then, there was no visible sign of fire. A day later, flames were seen running along the top of the bunkers, to be followed by smoke emerging from No. 3 ventilator. All hands were immediately called to No. 3 hatch, from which clouds of smoke belched, and the position soon became apparent. Twenty tons of timber were eventually removed, but the smoke became so suffocating that the hatches had to be battened down again. The trimmers were unable to stay below longer than five minutes at a time and al! hands, excluding officers, were sent down to trim coal. By this time, the timber on deck started smouldering and the decks became red hot, and the sides of the ship were actually bulging. nearest port was 180 miles away. Four men lay unconscious on deck the following day, and a mad rush was made to reach port though the ship was only making five knots owing to. the scarcity ot coal and the difficulty of keeping up When a trulv desperate position had been reached, the Aloe camo abreast of Port Louis lighthouse. Even when the ship had been sunk so that she was awash to her decks it was not until ■about a week later, and. after tons o water had bee pumped into her, that the fire was finally extinguished, The damage is approximately £BO,OOO.