New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-10-09
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
FATAL FIRE IN A VESSELS HOLD.
A PETROLEUM SHIP NEARLY ID .sli"1 I'D ia "N''
KILLED BY sUTFOCAIGON AND FIRE.

A
KILLED BY sUTFOCAIION AND FIRE.
An aDnalling calamity occurred on Saturday,
ON board Of the German bark Europa, which was under
going repairs the sectional dry dock at the Ioot VI
Rugers-st whereby six persons lost their ves Dy hte
and suffocatOn. About 40 ship carpenters ~ OF more
caukers and dozen more seamen were set at "oIh
upon the outside in the hold OF the vessel for the
purpose Of STRENGTHENING and repairing her She had
been engaged in carrying crude petroleum and It's pro
ducts to Germany and bringing back the empty OIL par
res On Sept % she arrived at this port with cargo o
empty barrels, consigned to Herman Koop d 20.
OF No % William-st. On the voyage she h"u
been struck by a hurricane, and had oeeh
30 badly strained TO render repairs
necessary Sac uas therefore placed upon the dock.
Nearly all the me- we're engaged in the lower hoid OF
the vessel boring holes in the umbers 10 ascertain
whether they sound or rotten Most OF the eaurs
were outside of Tie ship, but few were IN tne lower
hold The sailors were removing the ballast from place
TO Mace SO that tie bottom might be tested The hod OF
the vessel was dark and the worked with candles
which were required by the carpenters in their close
scrutiny Of the tinbeTs.
The candle of one Of the carpenters John Casey OF NO
OF shers was extiugushed, and he attempted 10 re-
light 1t with match, but he burned his fingers ana inc
burning match fell into pile of oakum at his side In
on instant the oakum was in blaze ana casey was sur
rounded with flames, which communicated rapluy 10 INC
decks which were thoroughly saturated with petroleum.
His own clothing caught fire. and, as the alarm was
safety in flight They from the hold to the man
dock 10 which there was single ladder Up THIS tey
scrambled, half blinded by smoke climbing over each
other in the desperate attempts to escape Ihoso WIZ
were last abandoning hope OF escape Dy the lauueI
sought for other modes OF escape. Some rushed 10 INC
forward hatchway, where rope ladder led TO inc huuo
deck Thence they climbed the stancion OF the hach
wuv TO the main deck. Others jumped through port
holes and let themselves down by the ropes "u'on
hung at different places along the ships SIDE
Among these Casey, va, with DIS eio'nn'5
all in flames Slid down rope to the
pier. His shreks of pain attracted the attention VI
those who had escaped and they rushed forward To OK
tinpush the flames They tore oil his clothing nut he
presented horrible appearance blanket was thrown
around him aud lac conveyed IN aWasOh 10 ''c
Madison street Police Station. The rapid spread OF inc
flames had prevented of the carpenters from hhu
ing any means OF escape before the dense ciouN VI
smoke oyerpowercd them. During this time an alarm
had been sent out ana the Fire Department nau
promptly responded Under the direction OF Cmet oil
Battalion Miller, the tremen boarded the NesseI ana
directed large streams of water down the h"chN"S'
The fire steamer HavcmcycT also responded 10 lhe aan
and her powerful fre-pumps were set at WolA,
throwing additional streams into the hod "a
the burning vessel The fire. however burned with such
intensity that a time it dcfcd the efforts OF te S
men After an hours arduOus Labor the me was huo'
dned: bu il was some tine before 1t was possible 10 hahe
an examination of the burned vessel After tlle nc
frrInen went between decks and tore down u'nScIo
partitions Then they went forward where te Hc ndu
done damage, and found me dead D9es % nv I'm
in the hold They bad al ded nom I'LL W, nv,
them were lying upon their faces Two others ny or
their backs with their arms appraised: one Ield ~ ms
hand piece OF wire Used tor 9h3luS y AAI 0n D;
another held carpenters rule IN ms hfud' Ora VI
deUfly m de his way 70 the middle deck and had there
been cut OF from escape by hame ana s,ii1@Ga'
The police immediately gwen Iolve' |
and suetchcrs were sent from The Madison 9'IJe o
Station To the OF the calamity Inc bohes Weie
taken to the police station ana placed on INC moor p4 @
idedo foil
9Snf VIM FrIo1g age 45 OF No 81 Avenue d Sohu
Mcdonald age IS. OF No. 253 Seyontnst; Thomas IN
granam of East NewYorlz. The mon killed we're an
Marsh aud Cushmau visited the police station; AM an
ecrding 10 the wishes OF their relatives.
The Coroner informally examined Capt Brnkama and
the first mate, William Recntz The former sad tha
when the fire broke out he was III te cdoIn VIZ, wv d
the port W.dens, Mr. G0ryey, the head carpenter ana
cudcd survey OF the vessel in order TO ascertain what
repairs actually needed While chatting III tle
fnAh mn, sUP ire - He Vas followed bV another
nan, who also gave the alarm, ana caIci
ne hin ran on deck The first thing that attracted
their attention was the smoke that issued through the
hachways amdShips aud att winch was soon IOli3Wcu
Low sheets Of flame Carpenters ana sailors were rushing
no the cangways leaving the vessel best they could
The told similar seoy, ana the Coroner aI'e
fbe vessel with instructions forbid unauthozedper-
sons boarding her until to-day. rms morning az ~
o'clock jury will be impaneed AT the M4G,sOn StIeC
Police station, and after they have viewed tne seem "a
fire thcy VIII DC dlsCntiBtd UhtiI ic VI
quest which Is not yet set down casey, VINO was 50
badly burned died Saturday night at Bellevue HOs
tai Where lac taken thus making ok deaths from inc
calauity John Sever of No. lO1 MOrrel-at, BROOK
lyn was severely burned about the hands ana
arms as he attempted to escape, but lie VIII
probably recover. The Europa Is Dddy dal-
aged by the flames .Ihe undcrplanklng M many
places III the lower mold and between decks 10 ctIey
burned away, and III other spots 80 badly charled dl
IL viii necessary tOrcplacc II by new plahhlns' Many
of the stdnchOns supporting the main ad upper uechs
are also so much caiTcd to render them useless ana
they viii have TO be replaced. The cdptdns CABIN Is
burned out aud the contents ruined The charts ana
nautical instruments board are also rendered useless
The entire Interior of the vessel from tue man ha'ch 10
tbc stern is badly damaged. Some OF the sails, Whc
were slowed away between decks were destroyed auu
Of two boats hanging IRON the davis, one Is ehlrey
0estrOyed and other badly burned as 10 De almost
worthless The damage to the vessel IS estmated at e
ZOO aud $4,000, ana Is covered Dy insurance
In German companies The Europa was bult 70 years
ago al Vegcsack, Bremen She ~ 500 tons DudcH
end is owned by l.. f. AIcns Of Bremen she Is valued
al $4,000 and has been engaged for mum Der Oi years
in the petroleum trade. Can't. bilhkama mas DCeh III
command OF her for several years.