Title:
Seine Boat Verbus Unitus Awash and on Fire, August 3, 1954
Photographer:
Paulu T. Saari
Description:
Ketchikan Daily News article, 8/4/1954
"Three Injured in Boot Explosion and Fire
Three persons were injured, one critically, last night in an explosion and fire on the fish boat Verbus Unitus,while taking on fuel at the General Petroleum dock. Firemen on the city fire boat are shown in the photo above putting a line aboard the gutted vessel with its decks awash to tow it away from the danger area, In the photo below a coast guard boat (left) is standing by while the burned-out hulk is towed away. One last burst of flame can be seen shooting out of the pilot house door.
Boat Fire Victims Arrested
A gasoline explosion aboard the seine boat Verbus Unitus started the unraveling of a strange series of events and resulted in toe arrest of the three men aboard the seiner who were burned in the explosion and resulting fire.
The 42-foot Verbus Unitus was taking on gas and stove oil that evening at the General Petroleum Dock when suddenly an explosion occurred in the engine room. While city firemen and coast guardsmen worked to extinguish the blaze, the three men aboard the boat were removed and taken to Ketchikan General hospital for emergency treatment.
BOAT STOLEN
Then the boat's owner showed up and told city police that his boat had been at Thomas Basin and he had not authorized its removal. The boat was stolen, he said. Shortly thereafter, George McLaughlin, Levan Tiviet and Harry Hottenstien were placed under arrest and, when their conditions permit, they will be brought before federal authorities to face charges of larceny of a boat.
The boat’s owner is Maurice Field, skipper of the fish and wildlife service vessel Polar Bear. He estimated the value of his boat at $8,500 and said he had no insurance on it.
ALMOST TOTAL LOSS
The boat was almost a total loss. The explosion ripped it open midships and water as well as fire damage was incurred. The city fire boat towed the seiner to Pennock island where it was beached.
One of the three men facing charges of larceny was seriously burned in the fire. The other two suffered slight burns, shock and were temporarily overcome by smoke. All were reported to be in fair conditions at the hospital today. Tviet was the most seriously injured and was apparently in the engine room at the time of the explosion. One of the other two men either jumped overboard or was blown overboard by the blast while the other attempted to pull Tviet from the engine room.
CAUSE UNDETERMINED
The cause of the explosion is undetermined and Thomas Delaney, marine station operator at General Petroleum, said they had not started the engine and he had asked before they fueled up to extinguish all fires. McLaughlin has been in the vicinity of Kechikan for several years but Tviet and Hottenstien are comparatively new arrivals. Hottenstien commented, “We’re loggers, not fishermen"."
Ketichikan Daily News article, 8/30/1954
"Boat Theft Charge Dismissed
Charges against Levan Tviet have been dismissed in the U.S. commissioner's court following Tviet's release from Ketchikan General hospital. Tviet was one of three men charged with larceny of a boat following an explosion early this month on the seine boat Verbus Unitus. Tviet suffered severe burns in the resulting fire and was hospitalized until last Friday. Charges against Harry Hottenstein were dismissed earlier following his release from the hospital. George McLaughlin has been bound over to the grand jury on the charge. Hottenstein and Tviet were reportedly hired by McLaughlin as crew members and were unaware that the boat, the Verbus Unitus, was stolen, they said.
An explosion occurred on the boat as it was taking fuel at the General Petroleum dock."
"Three Injured in Boot Explosion and Fire
Three persons were injured, one critically, last night in an explosion and fire on the fish boat Verbus Unitus,while taking on fuel at the General Petroleum dock. Firemen on the city fire boat are shown in the photo above putting a line aboard the gutted vessel with its decks awash to tow it away from the danger area, In the photo below a coast guard boat (left) is standing by while the burned-out hulk is towed away. One last burst of flame can be seen shooting out of the pilot house door.
Boat Fire Victims Arrested
A gasoline explosion aboard the seine boat Verbus Unitus started the unraveling of a strange series of events and resulted in toe arrest of the three men aboard the seiner who were burned in the explosion and resulting fire.
The 42-foot Verbus Unitus was taking on gas and stove oil that evening at the General Petroleum Dock when suddenly an explosion occurred in the engine room. While city firemen and coast guardsmen worked to extinguish the blaze, the three men aboard the boat were removed and taken to Ketchikan General hospital for emergency treatment.
BOAT STOLEN
Then the boat's owner showed up and told city police that his boat had been at Thomas Basin and he had not authorized its removal. The boat was stolen, he said. Shortly thereafter, George McLaughlin, Levan Tiviet and Harry Hottenstien were placed under arrest and, when their conditions permit, they will be brought before federal authorities to face charges of larceny of a boat.
The boat’s owner is Maurice Field, skipper of the fish and wildlife service vessel Polar Bear. He estimated the value of his boat at $8,500 and said he had no insurance on it.
ALMOST TOTAL LOSS
The boat was almost a total loss. The explosion ripped it open midships and water as well as fire damage was incurred. The city fire boat towed the seiner to Pennock island where it was beached.
One of the three men facing charges of larceny was seriously burned in the fire. The other two suffered slight burns, shock and were temporarily overcome by smoke. All were reported to be in fair conditions at the hospital today. Tviet was the most seriously injured and was apparently in the engine room at the time of the explosion. One of the other two men either jumped overboard or was blown overboard by the blast while the other attempted to pull Tviet from the engine room.
CAUSE UNDETERMINED
The cause of the explosion is undetermined and Thomas Delaney, marine station operator at General Petroleum, said they had not started the engine and he had asked before they fueled up to extinguish all fires. McLaughlin has been in the vicinity of Kechikan for several years but Tviet and Hottenstien are comparatively new arrivals. Hottenstien commented, “We’re loggers, not fishermen"."
Ketichikan Daily News article, 8/30/1954
"Boat Theft Charge Dismissed
Charges against Levan Tviet have been dismissed in the U.S. commissioner's court following Tviet's release from Ketchikan General hospital. Tviet was one of three men charged with larceny of a boat following an explosion early this month on the seine boat Verbus Unitus. Tviet suffered severe burns in the resulting fire and was hospitalized until last Friday. Charges against Harry Hottenstein were dismissed earlier following his release from the hospital. George McLaughlin has been bound over to the grand jury on the charge. Hottenstein and Tviet were reportedly hired by McLaughlin as crew members and were unaware that the boat, the Verbus Unitus, was stolen, they said.
An explosion occurred on the boat as it was taking fuel at the General Petroleum dock."
Collection:
Ketchikan Museums: Paulu T. Saari Collection, KM 2003.2.63.1243
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Verbus Unitus Boat Fire, 1954
Verbus Unitus Boat Fire, 1954