Fire Breaks Out In Nearly- Completed Liner Corinthic

Wanganui Chronicle, 6 January 1947, Page 5

Fire Breaks Out In NearlyCompleted Liner Corinthic

Received 6.30 p.m. LONDON, Jan. 4. Fire broke out in the liner Corinthic, which is nearing completion at the Cammel Laird shipyard, at Birkenhead, at 5 o’clock this morning.

Fire engines were rushed to the shipyard and firemen concentrated on trying to coniine the blaze to one hold and the refrigeration chandler. The osiers, the Shaw, Savill and Albion I'oinpany, Ltd., said that as far as it could be ascertained fire broke out among some cork and material I lying in the hold. The vessel developed a list of 15 to; 20 degrees to starboard, but it was reported at 1 p.m. that the fire was under control, and the ship was slowly righting herself. Clouds of smoke anti steam are still issuing from the open hatch, but no flames arc visible. The lire occurred in No. 5 hold, and the firemen’s efforts were mainly concentrated on preventing it spread-

> . ing to the adjoining holds and upper . structure. Six hours after a watch- i man discovered the outbreak, flames i > I were shooting through the open i. . i hatch. Billowing smoke from the • ! burning cork hampered the firemen. • ’ Reinforcements were rushed to Blr- i kenhead until there were more than |< ■ I 30 appliances in action, or standing h ». by. The chief danger was that the I ( ship might capsize. The Corirfthle was • I lying with a starboard list alongside < | the west basin wall and it was feared U that a sudden inrush of water into : hold might cause her to right ! 1 herself too quickly, and heel over to ‘ port. , Two firemen were injured when a i gang of 50 entered the smoke-tilled i holds No. 4 and 6 to strip cork insula- , ! lion and spray the white-hot walls of < • hold No. 5. <

I Moro than 60 workmen employed by Cammel Lairds volur/bered lo help i the fiireiighters. They cut an opening fro/.i a tunnel escape to the flooded hatchway to release water from the ship’s heavy side to try to counteract the list. The smoke was so dense that Isome men lost their way in the ship, *and for a time, some men got to work with oxyacetelene jets to cut through the steel plates so that the firemen could get at the seat of the lire. One workman said: “That the four-hour shift, in the vessel seemed a long time, but rnbsi of us will bo back again tonight.” An official of the Cammel Laird Company said the contract for building the Corinthic was worth at least £1,000,000. He added that as a result of the fire there would be a considerable delay in completing her.