The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-12-02
Il TOME OF FIRE.
Seven Men Meet their Dentt, IN he
Hold Of a Burning Vessel.

A fire broke ont few days since on
the German bark Europa. II Pier 49,
East River She was in dry-dock. he
ing caulked. when large quantity of
hemp took fire. John Casey. caulkcr,
% Sheriff street, was fatally burned,
and John s,icvcr. another workman.
probably fatally. After Il time the
flames were extine,hshed aud the fire
men made an examination Of the hold.
when they discovered the horribly burn
ed bodies of Thos. Ingram. Lewis @ullI-
van. George Sill. VIM. Turlong. and
James Mcdonald. workmen employed
in making the repairs. The Europa
was engaged in the petroleum trade,
and the timbcrs being saturated with
the oil, the flames spread with frightiul
rapidity. cutting off all escape of the
men working below. The damage to
the vessel is covered by insurance.
The Europa was placed ON the larec
balance dry-1ock, at the foot of Hutgcr
street, Friday. for the purpose of rcctiv-
ing Il general overhauling. The ship
being chartered and it being necessary,
she was made ready as expcdltiously us
possible. A large force of caulkcrs,
ship-carpenters ard blacksmiths were
put to work this morning. These men
were scattered all over the vessel and
were busy. At about half-past eleven
o'clock this forenoon the hip-carpenters
and caulkcrs were i'll the lower hold
boring the sides to see whether the
planks were sound. while the caulkers
had brought their oakum, oil and pitch
into the Flower hold to have it at hand
when required. A shi p-carpcnter, named
Jno. Casey, of 81 Sheriff street. was with
the rest in the forehold testing the
planks. He struck Il match for the pur-
pose of lighting a pipe, and having done
so threw the burning match upon the
floor. a large pile of oakum was close
by and the match set it on fire. Casey
in cndeavoring to smother the flames.
was fatally burned. The flooring of the
vessel was saturated with Kerosene, ben
zine and other highly combustiblc Ii
uuids, and in moment caught fire,
which spread with lightning rapidity,
and the entire hold, from stem to stern,
was mass of fire, converting it into Il
frightfnl dcath-trap. The workmen III
tie hold were cut off from the air. They
we're in tomb filled with fire Some
at work amidships were completely sur
rounded by the flames. Those not in
the midst of the flames were exposed to
the deadly fumes which arose from the
fire, and fell sutfocatcd. The flames cX
tinguishcd, the police and fireman went
into the hold and soon found in various
parts of the bark the bodies of five men.
all ship-carpentcrs. The bodies were re-
moved to the seventh precinct station
house, on Madison street, and placed
side by side upon the floor in the back
room. The mems faces were blackencd
and begrmmcd with smoke and badly
distorted, indicating the terrible agony
they endured before death came to their
relief. Their clothes in some places
were almost burned through. The cor
oners Office was Immediately informed,
and Coroner Nickhoff went to the spot
in company with officer Hcaly. He i'm
pannclled II jury at Madison street po-
lice station, viewed the bodies and aper
nit was granted for their removal. Dep
uty Coroner Marsh ordered all the bod
les to he taken to the morguc. where Il
past moyiem examination is to be made
and an inquest held. AS far as could be
asccrtaincd the victims were all married
men with large families, who are wholly
unprovided for.
The excitement in the vicinity of the
dry-dock is intense, as all the men were
we'll known in the ncighborhood, hav
ing been employed round the dock
many years.