Evening star., 1946-10-13
d. c. Navy Officer,
|3 Others Are Killed
In Swedish Ship Fire
D2 ths AsseeIaisd Prsss =

STOCKHOLM, Oct. IA crewmen
aboard the 3,600-t ton SWedish motor
ship Kristina T11orden won today =
36-hour battle In the mid d-Atlantic
against flames that swept the vessel
and killed four persons, including
Capt. walter Leroy Heiberg, 90, Of
Washington, D. G, former United
States Naval Attache IN Stockholm,
u message to the ship owners here
said.
Capt. Heiberg was buried at sea
at the request OF his wife, who also
was aboard, the message added.
Eikht other American passengers
lon the ship, including Mrs, Heiberg
and Walter "A. Leonard Of Washing
ton, escaped without severe In
juries.
The others who lost their lives
were listed by the Swedish News
Exchange as ]. q. Erickson, 23, Visa,
Finland, q student; Paul Kempaai-
min, a., OF Finland, and an uniden-
titled Swedish businessman.
-Four Americans Injured.
-Four American passengers slightly
injured were reported transferred
to the Norwegian Atlantic liner Sta.
[vangerfjord, which is heading Tor
Bergen, Norway, where it is expect
ed to dock Tuesday.
They were listed as Mrs. Heiberg,
Hazel Marie Jacobson Of the Amer
|ican Legation, Stockholm; Mr..
Leonard, 66, former United States
Consul General in Sweden, and
Ernest George Ekman.
American crew members aboard
the Kristina Thorden, who escaped
serious injury in the battle against
the fire, were William English, Prov
|idence, r. l.; John Toowe, Provi-
|dence, and Frederic Maccost, Rum
ford, r. !.
One American passenger remain
ling aboard the crippled ship was
X. E.. Dahlberg, address not listed.
Oil Gains Heavy Sea.
The flames were brought under
Icontrol after the Stavangerfjord
reached the stricken vessel today
with q doctor, medicine and food
lapd pumped oil to calm the rough
sea.
Reports reaching here said the
fire started in the passengers quar-
ters, but Its cause was not learned.
The Kristina Thorden now is
lawaiting her sister ship, the Selma
Thorden, due to arrive about mid
night, which will attempt to tow the
Kristina back to Sweden.
Early today, 800 passengers aboard
the Stavangerfjord saw Norwegian
sailors defy heavy sea and raging
Istorm to assist the distressed Swed-
ish vessel. After what passengers
described as a brilliant sailors
feat" the seamen, together with a
doctor and q nurse, managed to
board the Kristina with radio equip
ment, medicine and provisions.
When the Norwegians left the
ship, bringing. with them IL injured
passengers and crewmen, auxiliary
engines were working. giving light
and heat to those still aboard.
Capt. Heiberg lived at 1926 Wyom-
ling avenue NV. His daughter, Mrs
James H. Whitehead, jr.. lives at
1896 Twenty-seventh road South,
Arlington, Va.
He received the Legion Of Merit
| for his work as naval attache IN
Stockholm during the war.
He had retired In 1918 because Of
eye trouble at the conclusion Of his
naval service in World War I. but
| was recalled to active service In
1910.
The son of q former Norwegian
| cavalry ofIicer, VINO came to this
country after his army service, Capt.
Heiberg was born In La Crosse, Wis,
/ in March, 1886. He spoke the
Scandinavian languages fiuently.
He was graduated from the Naval
Academy in 1908 and was on Asiatic