Fire onboard HMS PUMA, mid-sixties.

Does anyone have any reports, eye witness accounts etc. of a fire onboard PUMA that put her out of commission for a few months in the mid sixties? I believe it started in a boiler room.

Ta.

 

Are you in a hurry to find out? I know someone who served in Puma in the 60s and he might know, but it might be a while before I get a chance to ask him about it (usually only bump into him by chance). Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

 

Shakey,

There is a report of a fire onboard on 27 January 1956, but that's all I can locate at present.

See: http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:gAsI2b2MtVgJ:www.greenpeace.org/raw/content/international/press/reports/naval-nuclear-accidents.pdf+%22HMS+Puma%22+%2Bfire+onboard&hl=en&gl=uk&ct=clnk&cd=1

I have also just checked the Commons Hansard for that period and can find no reference to the fire, though there is a reference to the sinking of HMS Sidon.

Steve.

 

Thanks for the link, there's another mention dated 6/12/64, I think that is the one.

Though I think the date's American and should read 12/6/64.

 

Very interesting link. Brought back memories of a lot of the ships in those days of the RN.

 

Puma had no boiler room, she was a diesel ship. Maybe a fire in one of the engine rooms?

 

I served on her from '64 to '66 and never heard of any fire, still knowing that commission there could have been a major fire most would be too pissed to notice.Some great runs ashore on that two years.

 

When I served on her the buffer told me to paint the fcukin funnel and I went and got the paint.
Still remember my oppo's laughing and p*ss taking. :roll: 8O

 

Can't have started in a boiler room - she was diesel.

There was a series of fires, mostly minor, onboard in 1971, which turned out to be the work of an arsonist, a young seaman. Started with silly little fires in gash bins, then the notice board, then got more seriious when he set fire to the tiller flat, and worst, the jungle mess, during the night after a good run ashore, when we were all sleeping very heavily. Mess filled very quickly with thick black smoke from uniforms and plastic suit bags - lucky no-one was badly hurt. But I don't remember it putting us out of action for any length of time.

 

Hi Shakey. I recall a fire in Puma's Conversion Machinery Space in 60 or 61.
We were heading back to Simonstown from Tristan da Cuhna at the time.

 

What colour paint did you get??

 

There are several interesting Puma documents under Admiralty and Foreign office reference numbers in the National Archives

 

Steve,

That link just confirms the bollocks that greenpeace peddle.

It's entitled "Naval nuclear accidents". The first listed is in 1945. (Challenge of the evening. Name a nuclear powered vessel before the Nautilus).

Most of those accidents/incidents involve collisions/ fires aboard UK/US ships and all RFA's are described as HMS.

Funnily enough there is no mention of the ASHANTI.

I'm not getting at you Steve, just the bullshitting ******* who don't wash, wear dreadlocks and collar me in the street!

 

Yes, there was. If memory serves me correctly in 1961 a 3 badge LS set fire to the Stabaliser room - I THINK it was when were mid south Atlantic en-route from Simonstown to South America. He was 'put away!!!

 

Extract from the Link....

Atlantic 05/26/67: The Royal Navy nuclear-powered attack submarine HMS Warspitesuffers a
water leak in one compartment while undergoing routine maintenance in Faslane, Scotland.
The U.K. Ministry of Defense says the 'defect is not connected in any waywith her nuclear
plant. Her damage is slight and there are no casualties. The leakage of water was brought
quickly under control by Warspite herself.'

A tight report of the event!

 

I served on Puma 1964-1966 I was one of the chippies. The fire started I think about June 1964 whilst in refit in the forward engine room burning out the forward switchboard. The refit was put back 3 months. Workup started in January 1965 instead of October 1964 we then picked up the Jaguar`s home leg of her general commision which was an exhausting round Britain recruiting drive, I think 34 ports in 6 months and then South Atlantic in Jan 1966 for 12 months a great and interesting commision.

 

I served in Puma in the early 70's.
I left the ship rather abruptly. It wasn't them it was me. I did a runner from her in 1974 and went foreign by myself.
They didn't seen to want to take the ship where I required them too. That's a bad thing about pusser never does what you want.
I did not set the ship on-fire before I left though as I am a good hand even if my shit stinks.