New-York tribune., 1918-07-14
Explosion Starts Flames
Aboard the Spanish
Vessel Cervantes
Was Ready to Sail
Thirty of Crew Saved and
Ship Is Sunk OFF Brook
lyn Shore

A Spanish steamship, the Serantes,
laden with 10000 barrels of crude oil
consigned to the Spanish government,
was burned and sunk off Seventy tyninth
Street, Brooklyn, yesterday as she was
preparing to steam for Spain.
Four men of the crew of thirty-four
were killed between decks by the first
of three explosions which spread
flames to the entire cargo. Five others
were slightly burned, and one suffered
from broken eardrum.
The vessel, 2,153-ton freighter. 3S3
feet long, was valued at s1,500,000, and
the cargo. which was totally destroyed
was worth about 100000.
The. Serantes arrived here week
ago. She was under charter to the
Spanish government, and took on her
cargo at Bayonne. She moved to an
anchorage off Bay Ridge yesterday
forenoon, and her commander, Ancieto
OJinaga, went to the Custom House
to clear his vessel.
Flame Followed Explosion
81 had just returned from the city,"
he said, land was making ready to get
under way when a terrific explosion oc-
CURED in hold No. 2. The hatch flew
into the air and smoke and fame fol-
lowed it. knew we were in for COM
plete burning out, and | ordered the
men to jump overheard. Some of the
burning oil drifted about us, but we
were soon picked up by government
vessels and properly cared for. My
ship is badly damaged, but I think she
can be raised and rebuilt
Within five minutes after the first ex-
plosion a column of thick, black smoke
ascended from the Cervantes. Flames
licked un through it, and amidships the
vessels steel plates were aglow with
heat. Oil soon covered the water for
an area of about thousand square
yards, and strips of oil ablaze drifted
toward the Narrows.
Tugboats, U. S. patrol boats, the coast
guard cutter Takama and the freboats
Zophar Mills, William Jay Gaynor and
New Yorker were soon steaming about
the blazing vessel, searching for the
men who had jumped overheard. The
tireboats, with wel-directed streams,
poured flood of water into the burn
ing holds and finally succeeded in fore
ing the Cervantes down upon the mud
flats.
Rescued Four Men
One of the first of the rescue craft
to get to the Cervantes was the Takama,
in command of c. NJ. Berry, an acting
masters mate. AS he put the cutter
up toward the blazing freighter's stern
he saw four men clinging to the rud-
der past. The crew Of the Takama
threw lines to them and hauled them
aboard where first aid was given and
oil poured on their burned arms and
shoulders.
A United States patrol boat rescued
ten OF the Spanish crew from the water
and with the Takama took the men to
the Battery. The others were picked UP
by the patrol boats and landed in Man
haitian an hour later. All on board
we're accounted for except the four men
who were known to have been between
decks
1t was said at the office of the agents
for the Serantes that while the vessel
was rated as being worth $1,000 900
the owners would not have sold her for
twice that amount because of the short
age of tonnage and the present needs
OF the Spanish trade.
While it is thought that the fire was
an accident, an investigation will be
made when The vessel is raised and
taken to shpyard for recontruction.