Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-11-11
SPECTACULAR FIRE
ON THE HUDSON
Fuel Tank of Freighter Ell Mum
do Blows Up--Blazing Vessel
Threatens Other Shipping
Is Finally Beached

New York, Nov. 10. (By tho AsSo.
ciatod Press) After a spectacular
race againat time down the Hudson
River. surrounded by putting tugs and
fire boats and with flames licking
about her forward deckn. frs burning
Morgan Line freighter I'll Mundo to-
night beached on the Communipaw "
flats. near Ellis Island, out OF the way
OF harbor traffic.
Thousands OF spectators lined the
New York and Jersey shores and
watched thu heroic fight OF tne tiny
tug to drag the burning freiehtcr out
OF the river. Ae 8he was threatening
to sink and block tho shipping chan
mel.
Flames which started from an explo-
sion In her forward fuel oil tanks
shortly after three o'clock continued
to burn briskly sweeping tho fre.g hter
from bow to stern despite the efforts
of a swarm of fire fighters TO hold
them In control. The ship, craft of
10000 TONS Is almost n complete wreck
with her sides torn by blasts and her
forward superstructure carried away
by the fire.
All members of the crew of the Ill
fated vessel. which arrived here from
Galveston last Monday with a general
cargo, have been accounted for, police
officials said tonight. Eight OF the deck
hands were reported seriously burned.
one probably fatally--Michael Bertuleit.
water tender-whose clothes were
burned from his body.
More than score of longshoremen
and members of the crew we're unload
Ing the vessel at the Southern Pacific
line pier, which the fuel tank containing
4 SOY Of
up without warning, hurline men in all
directions and. carrying away a section
of the deck. Plates on the port side
also were torn out and the ship immedi-
ately began to list. Sprayed by burning
| oil many workers on the pier had mar
row scapes from being burned to death
Several also had the clothes blown from
| their bodies by the force Of the bias,
which shook the water front for blocks
Police reserves and firemen rushed to
the scene in answer to several alarms
removed the injured but were unable tc
| penetrate the forward part of the shir
, which was wrapped in smoke and flames
AS three other big oil tanks were threat
ened fire officials fearing another ex.
/ p!osion. issued orders clearing the piel
OF workers and newspapermen. Filemei
also were ordered off the blazing freigh.
ter which began to list dangerously OF
| the port side.
Several tugs were pulling the steamer
| into the middle of the rivo~ when an
| other explosion occurred and flame.
/ leaped UP the forward mast. swee pins
the deck superstructure She gave an
other heavy list and threatened to sinl
in mid-channel blocking river traffic
More than a dozen tugs came to the res
cue and after valiant fight succeeded
in dragging the burning ship two mile.
down stream, with the hope of getting
her into the outlet harbor. short dis
tance north of Ellis Island. however
the freighter began to sink rapidly anC
1t was round advisable to drag her OF
the Communipaw mud flats of the Jer
sey shore.
The thrilling race Of tugs down strean
with their blazing tows, the siren
shrieking n warning to other craft t.
keep out of danger. was witnessed b,
thousands of commuters on ferry BOAT
plying between New jersey ana Man
haitian. They joined with tie thousand
on shore in cheering the i.-cllrn and tn
little tugs whicn ht times were completed
lost from view concealed behind Erea
clouds of smoke from the burning SHY
whose stesl plates showed red hot ,hroug
the evening dusk
During the trip frebcats s!ded alor s
side and swept the Z. Nundo fo.-v:ar
and aft with streams of water, but ,hei
effect on the burning oil WIS Amos
neglig,bie. No one. however. attempts
10 beard the blazing shir because Of tn
danger of add uonnl explosions
Police officials paid Tonight lhat tn
origia Of TIE explosion had not bee
learned and could offer Lo theory a. I
what igrjted the oil tarls watch wer
Allied with a sdpplY to take the ship bac
to Gslveston.
The ship wae ia commend OF CAPITA,
II. r Parker OF Jersey City ent carrie
n crew Of A3 Elen. The srea:sr part G
her cargo of fTuii ana rec had been N,
loaded at the Southern Pacific docks who
the az yplonion occurred.