Yang List of Casualties: Early Morning Tragedy on a Packed Chinese Vessel Off Pootung A fire, resulting, it is rumoured, in the death of a large number of Fersons (some even estimate the casualties at 200) occurred on board a Chinese steamer, the Ta-shing, on the Huangpu, in the early hours of last Friday morning. The Tashing, under the command of a Chinese skipper, is one of the "'chicken-boats" which ply between Shanghai, Tsungming and Haimen, carrying passengers and cargo. She has a gross tonnage of 648.20 and is the property of the Ta Ta N. Ao., of Nantao.
Hazy explanations have been given as to how the fire originated bunt so far no official announcement has been made. Two of the survivors, being in a state of exciteteent, as a result of their experience, could give no coherent explanation. Ji appears, however, that the steamer was coming up river with a good cargo of cotton and a long list of passengers. The night being cold, a number of passengers were huddled together and lying on the cotton bales. It is probable that they were enjoying a smoke} aad thus started the conflagration.
The fire broke out at 4 a.m., just before the vessel had passed the Point at; Yangtszepoo and the flames quickly spread to both ends of the boat. Passengers ran about in panic and their shrieks were heartrending. Attempts were made te pilot the boat to the shore near the Point, to give the passengers 2 chance to escape, but the strong current caused her to drift along until she came to the Standard Co.'s Wharf which was also partially burned. She was pushed off and drifted a little further along to a spot where she was beached. A number of passengers jumped into the water and attempted to swim ashore rather than be burnt alive. Several succeeded, while others failed. Some, realizing that they could not swim, stayed on board and were burnt alive, while a number managed to jump on to sampans and launches which happened to be in the vicinity. Several officers and members of the crew remained to the last possible moment when they, too, were compelled to leave for safety Although the fire broke out at 4 o'clock no alarm was raised until nearly two hours later when a watch tower issued a notice. Inspector T. Mellows, chief of the Raver Police, and Mr. L. E. F. Antoncich, assistant harbour rister, took out the Custons fire-float and Captain. J. G. Dyson, acting chief officer of the Municipal Fire Brigade, gave orders to the Yangtszepoo Division to turn out at the Point, and went to the spot himself. The boat was found beach-
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