["Fire on the s.s. Koombana", The Hedland Advocate (Port Hedland, WA), Saturday 22 October 1910]

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Having failed, through no fault of our own to ascertain particulars of the fire from the Adelaide Coy.'s officials, we have to rely on information received from passengers and a few more reliable details gathered from observing and semaphoring by hand flags between the s.s. Junee (at the wharf) and the s.s. Koombana (in mid-stream).

Thus. About 1 a.m. Thursday, while the Koombana was steaming from Broome towards Hedland, smoke was observed issuing from No. 1 hold (in which 68 bales of wool had been stored on the up trip at Shark Bay, together with a quantity of feed for sheep which were to be taken aboard at Carnarvon on the down trip). The smoke was too dense to enable the seat of the trouble to be got at, but it was patent that the smoke was coming from smouldering wool--spontaneous combustion having been caused by wet bales of fleeces.

The hold was sealed down, Clayton's patent fire extinguisher requisitioned, and fire-hose got out ready for any emergency. Full steam was set for Hedland. Later, it was found necessary to seal up No. 2 hold. Everything was done quietly, without a passenger being disturbed from a peaceful slumber. At 5 a.m. several passengers were aroused by the smell of smoke in their cabins.

The Koombana entered the Hedland harbor at noon, when the hatch of No. 1 hold was uncomfortably hot, but it was announced that all would be well by 6 a.m. Friday, when it was intended to bring the ship alongside the jetty.

Early Friday morning townspeople were alarmed at seeing dense smoke coming from No. 1 hold (by this time the mails had been taken out of No. 2), and soon afterwards the semaphore by hand flags announced that the wool was still on fire.

The Junee was to have left port by mid-day Friday, but remained until word was received from Fremantle that the Koombana was to proceed on her course along the coast.

Capt. Rees evidently satisfied that he had the fire under control, as order were issued for passengers, mail, etc., to be taken aboard in time for the boat to sail at mid-night Friday.

The Koombana was alongside the jetty when we went to press, at 10 o'clock, last night.