The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-09-07
GRAPH|CACCOUNT
OF CH|LKA FIRE is
TOLDBfPASSENGER
Wireless Operator Works For
Seven Hours In Intense Heat
But Gets No Response

Grown Sergeant Buckley Of the Ran.
COON Town Police who was passenger
on board the Inflated s. $. Chilka be;
longing TO the British India Co. has
given the following account Of the
disaster, says the Kobe Herald of
August !. The Chilka sailed from Ma.
dras ON June 20 loaded with a general
cargo. She stopped off Barua to take
on board a further cargo Of jute and
pigs and was anchored in the Barua
Road, about a mile and q half from
shore, when the FIRE broke out. Smoke
was irst seen issuing from No. 3 hatch.
II was then one p. m. and the European
passengers, comprising seven ladies'
four gentlemen and four children, had
just sat down to tiffin. There were also
nearly 100 Indian passengers on board.
Pumps Started Immediately
As soon as the fire was noticed
those Of the deck passengers who were
in the after part Of the vessel, near
hatch No. 2, were sent forward. The
officers and crew at once started the
pumps going but though very large
quantity Of water was pumped into the
hold, there was no discernible effect, rs
after lunch II vas seen that flames and
smoke were still belching forth from
the hold in a suffocating volume n
was in the part Of the vessel where
a number Of pigs had been placed
and soon their squeals and little lat
err the smell Of burning flesh showed
that the FIRE had reached them. This
but added 10 the horror Of the scene.
Still there was no panic. Orders were
now given for the s. o. S. call to be
sent out, but though the wireless oper-
ator tried for seven hours he was IN.
able to get any response either from
land or sea. His work deserves the
greatest credit, for he was in danger
of being suffocated by the smoke, while
the heat was intense. He was an Aus,
trali9n. BY three-thirty p. M, the
fire was beyond control and by four p.
m. il had reached No. 4 hatch. 1t was
then realized that the pumps we're use!
less. ~" ,...y \
Passengers Huddle Together
Hitherto there Had been no panic
though there was considerable conster,
nation, the deck passengers budding
together, too frightened to do anything
else, but as soon as it was seen that the
flamts were issuing from No. A hatch,
they were seized with panic and
began to rush about as if bewildered.
Despite all efforts To calm them many
scrambled on TO the rails and Jumped
overheard. These were nearly all
drowned and their dead bodies floating
about the ship only helped to add to
the fearfulness of the scene. Others
frantic with fear, chung to the Euro.
peans, begging the latter TO save them.
All hopes of saving the ship was now
and the order was given to
lower the boats. This was done in
safety and the remainder of the pas.
sengers got safely to, shore, the Eu,
ropeans being the last TO leave, except
one Bengali woman who was loaded
with gold jewelry.4 She jumped but
missed the boat and fell into the wa.
ter, She was not seen again. Mean.
while the anchor had been raised and
the ship headed for shore where she
was safely beaehed. The European
women and childreu and one Indian
woman who was cripple, were taken of
in the jolly boat. The remainder of
the European passengers remained with
the captain and officers till the last
AT seven-thirty p. m. it was decided
TO abandon the ship. and the remainder
were taken ashore in native boats.
Lack of accommodations proved an in
but shelter was found for
the Europeans in q small bungalow
belonging to a customs officer. IT was
too late that night to communicate
with Calcutta, but this was done next
day. On August 2, Telegram was re,
ceiyed from Calcutta telling them TO