Marcus Hook, PA ships collide in fog, Apr 1949

Ships Collide, Starts Fire

MARCUS HOOK, Pa. (AP) - Two ships collided early Wednesday in a dense fog, setting off a fire that raged unchecked for five hours.

Crashing into each other in the Delaware bay were the 13,000-ton oil tanker Pennsylvania Sun and the 7,607 ton freighter American Attorney.

One man, crewman Walter Roberts, Sharon Hill, Pa., of the oil tanker, was swept overboard in the crash. He was picked up unharmed by a passing ship. No casualties were reported.

The 42 crewmen aboard the Pennsylvania Sun attacked the blaze in the dry cargo hold with foamite, but soon ran out of the fire fighting equipment.

They dispatched an S.O.S. to the coast guard which promptly launched a plane from Brooklyn, carrying the foamite. Cutters also were sent to the scene.

The fog was so dense the plane couldn't land.

Goose Goslin, former world series star with the Detroit Tigers, who now owns a rowboat renting establishment at Bayside, N. J., about five miles from the crash scene, reported:

"We heard the whistles screaming, but the fog was so thick even the ducks were in bed."

Sun Oil company reported the fire aboard the Pennsylvania Sun was under control shortly after 7 a.m., but that smoke still poured from the ship at 10 a.m.

The vessel remained anchored in the bay awaiting a fresh shipment of foamite being rushed to her by the Raritan Sun, another Sun Oil vessel.

The Walla Walla Union Bulletin, Walla Walla, WA 13 Apr 1949
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Transcribed by Tim Taugher. Thanks, Tim!