Evening star., 1934-09-19

to avoid flames that swept down from
the other side.
"One woman asked me, shall jump
now?, and I told her that I didn' t
know what to do.
"All Of Q sudden my mother said,
my feet are hot. We felt the deck
and 1t was very hot. So we jumped"
She said that until the ship had
stopped she saw no one 90 over the
side
Asked about possible drunkenness
among the crew, she replied she had
actually seen none, but ''the service
was bad"
Fourth Onicer Quizzed.
Hansen, fourth oficer Of the ship,
who said he holds a masters license,
was questioned closely by Capt. Neil
sen as to whether temperatures were
checked in the hold. His answers
were, IT don't know who did It,"
He said he was ordered by the
bridge to investigate reports Of =
fire.
what did you see?" asked Nielsen.
THE writing room was aflre."
did you see any hose?"
81 went right back to the bridge"
ibid you see any water thrown on
the flre?"
From A and the promenade deck" "
What happened when you went
back to the bridge?"
Il reported the fire and suggested
to Chief Oficer Warns to turn her
around to the wind to keep the fire
from blowing aft"
The ship was put stern to the
wind, he said.
Hansen said he was mot familiar"
with what was done with the fire
fighting apparatus, and Nielsen re-
marked that this was strange"
Fire Doors Ignored.
So far as he knew, no attempts
were made to close fire doors to
prevent the fire from spreading, the
witness said
The questioning then turned to
the death Of Capt Robert Willmott,
several hours earlier.
Hansen said acting Capt Warns
had summoned him and informed
him that Capt. Willmott had died.
II tried to revive him." Hansen
said. II worked his arms and legs
for 80 minutes"
Were there any marks Of violence?"
mot that saw" the witness re-
piled.
Hansen told Nielsen he had heard
no orders to lower lifeboats.
Questioned by Hoover as to the
promptness with which the fre alarm
was sounded, Hansen said 1t could not
have been done any sooner.
do you think If q proper watch was
kept on the bridge the fire might have
been caught sooner?"
The bell was ringing when got
TO the bridge" he said.
Five Hose Lines Ready.
The witness was asked how many
fire hoses were available In fighting
the fire.
There might be five, you say?'
asked Hoover
There might Hansen replied. and
then said that hose repairs were de-
ferred until the ship docked in Havana
Then there were some hoses that
were not coupled" suggested Hoover.
1T was fixed as soon as there was
time"
"VVhv uo Sp'f fhara f{yoaoo
Il reported to the chief ofdcer on
anything like that; it was up to him
then"
Hansen testified that he did not
know the names Of the members OF
the crew who helped him combat the
fre. Pressed, he finally said:
We'll, there was one named O'Sulli-
van"
He testified that Moro Castle fire
drills were well attended.
Hansen testified that on his last
watch. few hours before the fire was
discovered, the air in all the holds
had been tested and none had been
found smoky.
Says Apparatus Worked.
He had smelled smoke from No.
hold aft" on the trip before the last
he said. On that occasion the fire.
detecting apparatus had worked per-
fectly."
Hansen told about a fire in No. 5
hold on the night Of August 27-"a
pretty big one"
Fire-detecting equipment on the