Volume Two - The Era of Optimism, Investment & Development - Coal gas explosions etc . . .

Capt. Harris, who had arrived some time before, had previously informed Mr. Freeman that besides some paraffin and kerosene, there was also a magazine of gunpowder on board. A slight explosion shook the stern of the vessel and from the black flames which rose directly after, was judged to be paraffin caused.

Several more members of the Cardiff Fire Brigade arrived in a cab and their trained exertions were at once brought to work, with a second hose which they had brought with them. But all they could do was to prevent the spread of the flames; they could not extinguish them.

It was then decided to scuttle the ship in view of the gunpowder aboard, and two holes were bored fore and aft; but the water entered but slowly, affording ample time for the removal of the ship's stores, sails and other property. The firemen got into the hold and gallantly tackled the blaze from within. A hole was cut in the deck near the cabin enabling the brigade to get to the seat of the fire.

For hours this work went on, the vessel all the time slowly sinking, and ultimately, about nine hours after the fire began, the barque went down in thirty feet of water. The ship was to have been bound for Shanghai with a cargo of steam coal."

The Board of Trade Inquiry [143] in January 1879 into a gas explosion on board the steamship Charles W. Anderson concluded that defective ventilation was to blame.

"The Charles W. Anderson was an iron screw steamship of 1,452 tons gross and 937 tons net register. She left Penarth Dock, Cardiff, on the 25th May, 1878, bound to Malta with a cargo of 1,685 tons of coal, besides 246 tons of bunker coal, well found and in good condition in every respect, except as to the ventilation of the holds. She had five watertight compartments -- right foreward was the fore peak, then the fore and main holds in one, then the engine room amidships, then the after hold, and right aft the lazaette. Her lower or main deck was of iron, and the upper deck of wood. Of the cargo, 1,000 tons was stowed in the fore and main holds, and the remainder in the after hold. The fore and main 'tween decks contained hardly any coal, but the lower holds, fore and aft, were quite full, there being also from 160 to 170 tons in the after 'tween decks. The coal was ordinary South Wales steam coal, and was all freshly worked and in a condition to give off large quantities of gas.