The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-01-22
Storms Force Rescue
Work In Sea To End
CONTINUED from Page u

the radio cabin. The italian Navi.
CATION Company had no information
as to the cause Of the disaster.
No Salvage Attempt
It was believed that no attempt
would be made to salvage the Ora
zio, which was almost destroyed By
flames. Storms prevented tugs from
bringing the ship toward Genoa TO-
day.
The liner Conte Biancamanc
with 3l8 surviving passengers from
the Orazio was due here tomorrow
The wives and daughters Of sailors
from the Orazio crowded the COM
pany Offices here, many Of them
In tears. Oflcials said that Pau
Van iceland, former Belgian pre-
mier, was not on the Orazio, al
though he was scheduled to board
her when she reached Barcelona.
The first As survivors were land
ed here by a French liner this
morning.
Story BY Rescuers
The liners captain told q story OF
q fight through storm to the res
cue after his ship received an SOS
a. 10 a. m. Sunday. He reached
the Orazio at 4 p. m.
""The ship was a flaming torch,
he said" 1.-TWO italian liners, the
Colombo and Conte Biancamano
were there along with an italian
freighter and small boats.
when we arrived there were
passengers aboard still. They were
grouped in the middle Of the shir
because both bow and stern were
afire.
1--WE watched as the main mas
fell into the sea.
ut was evident tliat the shir
could not last long so all ships be-
gan taking off passengers, despite
the roughness Of the seas.
1.-THE fire was so hot that the sea
water around the ships heated
plates was boiling.
Evacuation Of Passengers was
most orderly. Women and children
came off first.
French and italian rescue ships
sent small boats alongside regularly
removing them as fast as possible
But some passengers jumped inte
the sea, holding to keep them afloat
ropes tied 10 the burning ship"
Originated in Explosion
Survivors said that the FIRE In thu
Orazio originated In an explosion ir
the engine room. Five Of the ship.
engineers were killed In the explo'
sion, they said.
Official Italian sources at Genos
had announced that the fire startet
at $3.50 a. m. yesterday, 40 miles OF
the French naval base at Toulon
near Marseilles.
A complete tabulation Of survivors
was difficult because Of a conflict be-
tween French and Italian sources.
At the time the first As survivor.
landed here, the Italian shipping line
at Genoa had announced the rescue
Of SOL persons, including 324 passen.
gers and ITO members Of the crew
out of a total Of Ala passengers anc
231 crew aboard. This accounted, or
the surface, for 500 persons and left
SO missing. 1t was uncertain, how.
ever, whether some rescue figures
had been duplicated.
Survivors Arrive
The first survivors arrived here al
8:15 a. m. (3:15 a. m. EST. Police
had barricaded the dock so waiting
surgeons could examine the sur.
vivors.
Forty-two Of the As landed werl
sent to hospitals, where beds hat
been prepared during the night
Most Of them suffered from shocl
but some were burned.
An Italian survivor whom ItaliaY
consular authorities forbade to givI
his name said:
"Fire alarm was sounded ct 5 a. m
Sunday. Passengers all quit thet
cabins normally and quietly, putinl
on their life belts, and went on decl
awaiting the orders " the captain.
HE gave the order to lower boats.
"There was a terrible gale which
made the lowering OF boats most diff
ficult.
1.-THE fire broke out in the bow ans
spread swiftly, driven by the winds
Fire doors below decks held tn
flames back and the ship was ma
neuvered so that the gale would blow
the flames from 1t.
when they saw the flames gain
ing a few persons imprudentl!
jumped overheard.
when the first relief boats arrive<
women and children were put II
boats first, but 1t was a most difncul
job in the rough seas.
1T was only when I was aboard
rescue ship that coulo see how seri'
Gus the FIRE was. At that time botf
ends were afiame and the IRE wal
gradually approaching the ship:
center"
The survivors stories appeared Il
agree that the fire was started by a.
explosion in q heavy oil motor In the
engine room and that the flame:
spread through the heavy oil pipes.
Five Rev Killed
Survivors said that at least iive
wind was so high that the flames