The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1908-12-26
OIL SHIP ABLAzE
AT SEA IS SAVED
AFTER HARD FIGHT
10000 Cases of Kerosene and
Acid Made Vessel Veritable
Volcano.
LONG RUN INTO PORT.
Took Burning Munin
to st. Kits, Beached Her
and Got Her Off.
LONG RUN INTO PORT.

The Norwegian tramp steamship
Munin. which left this port on Nov.
with a general cargo OF merchandise
for South American ports, returned to-
day after a thrilling experience with
fire in Caribbean waters. There were
10000 cases of kerosene oil in the hold
BILE acids when the fire broke out, and
the dancer that the ship would blow
up at any moment was realized by
every one of the twenty men on board.
With the latent volcano under their
feet. matches battened down and en-
yines working al top speed, the captain
and crew made a twelve-hour run for
assistance, finally Bleaching the vessel
IN position where the fire could be
fought
The arrival OF the burning vessel in
the harbor of ST. Kits was the signal
for all other craft in the vicinity to
scud for the open sea.
Wouldn't Let Crew Desert.
Capt. Johannes Larsen, master of the
Munin, a giant of a man with blond
hair and beard and blue eyes, holds the
credit for saving the ship. When the
crew wanted to desert her to her fate
he refused to allow man over the
side. And for five days and nights he
did not take OF his shoes, catching &C.
casional minutes Of sleep
The Munln, a comparatively new steel
vessel. al feet long and So feet beam.
was discovered TO be on fire on Nov. II.
when she was near the Island Of Saba.
in the Dutch West Indies. Smoke was
seen curling from the forward hatch.
and before an investigation could be
made the flames were mounting out Of
the hatchway.
Capt. Larsen had the matches battened
down and ordered the steam Jets. ar
ranged in the hold for such an emer-
gency, turned on. Live steam In great
quantities was blown into the hold by
this method, but the fire increased in
fury.
The Munin was headed for Alba. On
arriving there Capt. Larsen found that
he could obtain no assistance. He de-
.ided to take his burning vessel to st.
kits, 100 miles away.
Crew Forced to Their Posts.
Just what happened when he an
nounced this determination TO his crew
Capt. Larsen will not say. He admits
that there was some trouble on board.
and that many OF the men wanted 10
abandon the ship TO her fate right there.
but not a man went over the side
There was sensation in the harbor OF
St. kits when the Munn steamed in.
almost obscured by clouds of steam.
The British warship Scyalla was in the
harbor and her captain ran alongside
the Munin with an offer of assistance,
But when he learned that there were
1000 cases of kerosene under the red
hot deck he withdrew his ship to a re-
speCtful distance. Then he sent divers
aboard the Munin with instructions 10
open the matches and try to get line
OF hose into the hold.
The forward hatch was opened and a
burst Of fame shot up higher than the
top OF the steamers funnel After
conference between Capt. Larsen and
the captain of the Scyalla. 1t was de-
cided TO beach the Munin
BY this time the engine and boiler
rooms OF tho tramp were uninhabit Bile.
The Scyala passed a long line TO the
Munin and towed her TO shore, where
she was steered TO a shallow spot. Then
the sea cocks were opened and she was
allowed to sink until the keel rested on
bottom,
But the fire was finally drowned out,
when the ship cooled. Capt. Larsen
went into the hold. He found that
many OF the cases containing Kerosene
oil were scorohed. but the blaze had not
reached them in ume 10 do any dam
age.
The Munin remained in ST. Kits thir-
ty-five days, while the work of getting
her afioat and able to proceed under her
own steam went on. She is now in the
hands OF the underwriters. That part
OF the cargo LAT was not destroyed by
fire or water or iettisoned is stil aboard
her.