Crew Escapes Blazing Vessel -- March 3, 2023

Seattle Star, 08-March-1923

100 years ago today, on 03-March-1923, MV Babinda, carrying mixed cargo from San Pedro to San Francisco, caught fire near Santa Cruz. The ship was a total loss, but the entire crew was saved. 

CREW ESCAPES

BLAZING VESSEL

Admiral Line Vessel Lost in

Flames at Sea

SAN FRANCISCO, March 3. -- The motorship Babinda of the Admiral line, enroute from Los Angeles to San Francisco, burned at sea off Santa Cruz, Cal, early today.

Indications this morning were that ship and cargo were a total loss, according to the Admiral line offices here.

Captain Maland and his crew of 24 abandoned the vessel and were picked up by the steamer Celilo at 430 a. m.

The Celilo is standing by the burned hulk of the Babinda, radio reports said.

The fire was discovered at approximately 3 a. m. today and apparently spread rapidly. Calls for help were immediately sent out and were answered by the Celilo, which was in the vicinity.

Captain and crew fought the flames steadily until shortly before 4:30 a. m., when the fire had made such, progress that the men were driven from the decks, which had become hot enough to burn their feet.

At 4:30 they put off in small boats and were picked up soon thereafter by the Celilo without loss of life or injury to any. The Celilo left for port later with the crew.

The Babinda was a vessel of 3,000 tons and carried a general cargo in the coastwise trade.

A portion of her cargo was for Portland, Ore., to which port she was to have proceeded from San Francisco.

PORTLAND, Ore., March 3. -- The Maland brothers, both captains of motorship freighters in the Admiral line fleet, have been running in hard luck lately.

It was learned here today that Capt. H. M. Maland of the motorship Coolcha, wrecked on Albert Head, southwest of the mouth of Victoria, B. C., harbor during the February storms, is a brother of Capt. W. H. Maland of the motorship Babinda, which burned at sea off Santa Cruz, Cal, early today.