THE BURNED LINER

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18641, 20 May 1932, Page 7

THE BURNED LINER

AMAZING DISCLOSURES .EXPECTED AT INQUIRY. NO FIRE DRILLS HELD, e BELTS DAMAGED, HOSES ROTTEN, pH PASSENGERS NOT AROUSED. BO BELIEVED TO BE MISSING. United Press Assn.—Eloc. Tel. Copyright. (Received May 20, 12.30 p.m.) ADEN, May 19. Serious disclosures are expect-, ed at the inquiry Into the burning of the Georges Phillipar. It is stated there were no fire drills and some of tho passengers declare that the lifebelts were torn and hoses rotten, which seems incredible on a maiden voyage. All agree that no alarm was given. Throe sailors in a forward cabin were not aware of the fire until two hours after It had gained a hold. The missing are now computed at 50, as It has been established that some who wero to have embarked at Saigon did not do so. PARIS, May 19. An English passenger asserts that the deaths were due to failure to awaken the sleepers.

THE CAPTAIN’S REPORT, FLAMES’ AMAZING SPREAD. WIRELESS POSTS DESTROYED. PASSENGERS ASPHYXIATED. United Press Assn. — Elec. Tel. CoK’rl&ht. (Received May 20, 11.-io a.m.) PARIS, May 19. Captain Vicq’s reports as published by the Minister of Marino, state: “ When a woman gave the alarm I went to the spot and found the fire spreading rapidly, although the fire fighting apparatus had been brough int “ bordered the ship to lie-to, and sent out an “5.0.5.” The wireless post and the subsidiary post on the captain’s bridge were aflame almost simultaneously. “ Although far from the main seat of the outbreak passengers on -the deck where the fire originated were unable to leave their cabins owing to the frightful rapidity of the spread of the flames, and they perished, being asphyxiated. “ \ few who throw themselves into the sea were saved. “The order of evaluation was:—* Women and children, then other passengers, then the crew and officers. “Tlie vessel Sovietskaia, Contractor, ■and Mahsud picked up those rescued. “We could have saved everybody • if the incrediblo rapidity of the fire had not caught the victims at the start i » The passengers remained perfectly calm, and officers and crew showed admiral devotion. , “ i left the ship at eight o clock, when she was a huge burning mass and was picked up by the Sovietskala,! which transferred the survivors to J Andre Lcbon at 10 a.m." LITTLE HOPE FOR MISSING. PARENTS’ AWFUL EXPERIENCE. HULL DRIFTING AND BURNING. United Press Assn.— Tel. Copyright. (Received May ‘ Little hope Is entertained of the disenverv of tlios who are missms. \ Dutch doctor and his wife saw their two children burned to death. The Georges Phillipar is still blazing. She is drifting northwards. 717 RESCUED. FIFTY NOT ACCOUNTED FOR. (Official Wireless.) (Received The London office of Messagerics Maritimes this evening stated a I total number of passengers and uew saved from the Phillipar is now known as'7l7, leaving approximately o 0 unaccounted for. HEROIC STEWARDESS. A DRAMATIC STORY. LONDON, May IS. ■\n epic story is told of a brave stewardess, Madamoisclle llolbut, who vainly darted into the burning cabins o trv to find the parents ol a badlyturned girl of 12, who afterwards was lowered into a boat and died on route to the Mahsud. The stewardess later succoured two burned men all the way to Aden. Then she collapsed from shock and ex--110^ m f ir’arnatic story of how the alarm was raised was told by one of the survivors, Madame Valentin. Tlie llro started, she said, in her cabin. She h id been on deck and was returning at c > am., when her cabin lights went ouL She rang for a steward, but the switch dropped off in her hand. The ends of the wires felt hot. Madam Valentin rushed to call the officer of Hie watch, and when she returned to the cabin .she heard tlie crackling of fire inside the wall. The .cabin was soon filled with smoke, and flames burst through the walls of the adjacent cabins. Some passengers must, have been trapped in the flames, which spread with amazing rapidity. It, is revealed that the music and gaiety of the dancers prevented most of the passengers hearing the fire alarm. The loss of valuable minutes added to the difficulties of escape.