Ship Leans - Disaster Nears: The burning 28,000-ton Orient liner "Oronsay" heals over dangerously at Barrow-in-Furness while workers fight desperately to save her. A little more and she would have hit the cranes. The £3,500,000 ship, the biggest being built in Britain at present, caught fire in her dock late Saturday night October 28. Firemen fought it under control. It is not yet known how much damage has been caused. Launched last June she was due to make her maiden voyage to Australia next March. October 30. 1950.