Fikth. — On the Causes of Fires on Ships. 391 



positive as to where the fire originated. Their evidence en- 

 tirely upsets the theory that the fire originated from any 

 sparks getting under the eaves of the building. It is very 

 clear that it started in the ceiling of No. 5 freezing-room, 

 which was composed, firstly of timber, then charcoal, and 

 then sawdust. This being the case, had a spark falling on 

 the roof (which was of iron) been the reason of the fire, it 

 would have caused the sawdust to ignite. It is well known 

 that had this occurred it would have smouldered for hours, 

 and been seen. Apart from this, had such occurred the fire 

 would have been first seen through the roof ; whereas the evi- 

 dence shows that such was not the case. Mr. Glass (chief 

 engineer) says, ' The fire had burnt a small hole in the ceiling 

 of the cooling-chamber.' This statement is corroborated by 

 others. This brings one to the question, ' What was the 

 cause of the fire ? ' Having carefully considered the matter, 

 I am of opinion that it originated from spontaneous combus- 

 tion (of the charcoal insulation)." In support of this conclusion 

 the secretary quotes several well-recognised authorities, and 

 concludes his report by stating that, "if (as these opinions 

 prove) the fire at the Belfast Works did occur from spontaneous 

 combustion, it is undoubtedly a question for very serious con- 

 sideration not only in connection with freezing- works on shore, 

 but also as regards vessels taking frozen meat to London." 

 This fire cost the insurance companies about £20,000. Three 

 years ago a fire occurred at Hull in a cooling-chamber insu- 

 lated by charcoal. On the 15th September, 1890, a fire occurred 

 in a building used by the Chargeurs Meat Company at Havre, 

 France, when 8,000 frozen sheep, and the refrigerating appa- 

 ratus, were destroyed. Damage, £20,000. In both these fires 

 the cause was reported as "unknown," but is believed to be 

 due to the spontaneous combustion of the charcoal insulation 

 employed. 



As yet the frozen-meat trade is only in its infancy. If, in 

 the short period it has been in operation, so many fires have 

 occurred, with charcoal and sheathing new and in good order, 

 what disasters may not reasonably be looked for when the 

 charcoal becomes more or less reduced to a powder— its most 

 dangerous form — and when the wooden linings of the cooled- 

 chambers undergo the natural decay inseparable from the in- 

 tense cold to which they are exposed on the homeward voyages, 

 followed by the complete thawing on the outward voyages, and 

 so permitting melted snow, moisture, air, and oil to enter the 

 charcoal insulation ! When a portion of the charcoal becomes 

 sufficiently damp to enable it to analyse the air, oil, or water 

 with which it may be brought in contact, it slowly condenses 

 the oxygen, and becomes saturated with it during the su3»- ■ - — ^ 

 sequent drying process. /\N^ ^* 



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