FIRE ON STEAMER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 203, 28 August 1928, Page 8

FIRE ON STEAMER

ENGINE ROOM OUTBREAK MAN OVERCOME BY FUMES Shortly alter 3 p.m. yesterday an outbreak of fire aboard the river steamer Wakapai at Hatrick’s AVbarf brought the City Fire Brigade spceiling to the scene. However, only tho services of the chemical extinguishex were needed. The boat had been recently overhauled to be put into commission for the up-river trip of the visiting New •South Wales Rugby team to-day, as the guests of the Wanganui Rugby Union. She had ju>t been brought across the river from the slip and preparations were being made for starving the engine when an explosion occurred through the engine back-fir-ing.

•Some petrol that had been used in the engine-room ignited and the room soon filled with fumes and smoke from the fire that played round the jnacihinery, 1a attempting to extinguish the flames Al. Snow, the engineer, who was applying the extinguisher through one of the windows of the engineroom, was overcome by an outrush of fumes and fell backwards into the river. He was quickly rescued from the water and received medical attention, being later removed to his home. It was ascertained that he had no» received any severe injuries beyond being temporarily overcome by t*.c fumes.

Another member of the crew, a young man named Scott, had an arm scorched by the flames and had rt dressed by a chemist. Beyond a little damage to the engine there was nothing much amiss in the engine-room, but the AVakapai will not be used for the trip up-river to-day. The Wairuna will be broug< into use by Messrs Hatrick and Company, proprietors of the river steamer service