£5000 DAMAGE DONE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 366, 7 March 1932, Page 1

£SOOO DAMAGE DONE.

Firemen have Difficult Ta#V on Ship. United Press Assn.— By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, March 5. The Howard Smith inter-state steamer, Time, 3322 tons, which left Sydney for Melbourne yesterday, wirelessed that there was a fire in her hold, when three hours out. She raced back and anchored in the harbour early’ this morning, enveloped in smoke. Fire floats at once came to the assistance of the crew who were already fighting the outbreak. The fire was quelled an hour after the vessel reached port. It is estimated that the damage to the cargo will not exceed £SOOO. The ship itself was not damaged. The firemen had an exceedingly difficult task, being compelled to remove fifty’ bales of wool before they could reach the seat of the fire. There was a considerable quantity* of inflammable cargo on board the vessel, including coal, methylated spirits and benzine. She is scheduled to resume her voyage on Monday.