DC8 FLT CREW HAS A LOWER CARGO FIRE WARNING; DECLARES EMER AND DIVERTS FOR LNDG.

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APPROX 15 MINS AFTER LEVEL OFF AT FL360; WE RECEIVED A LOWER CARGO FIRE WARNING; AND A FWD A INDICATION. WE INITIATED EMER PROCS; DECLARED AN EMER; AND RECEIVED VECTORS. AT AROUND 10000 FT AND WARNING LIGHTS EXTINGUISHED. WE PROCEEDED AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY; AND AFTER CLING THE RWY ACCOMPLISHED AN EMER EVACUATION; DEPLOYING THE ESCAPE SLIDE. ARFF PERSONNEL WERE READY FOR US; AND IMMEDIATELY TOOK CHARGE OF THE ACFT; OPENING CARGO COMPARTMENTS AND VISUALLY CHKING FOR ANY FIRE. AFTER THE PLANE WAS TOWED TO A PARKING SPOT; A MECHANIC FOUND SOME FRAYED AND CHARRED WIRES LEADING TO A LIGHT FIXTURE IN THE FORWARD LOWER CARGO HOLD (PIT 31); WHICH WAS EMPTY FOR THIS FLT. THERE WERE NO PERSONNEL INJURIES; NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OTHER THAN THAT INCURRED FROM THE FIRE/SMOKE. NO HARD LNDG; NO HOT BRAKES; ETC. THE DC-8 USES A SEPARATE SYSTEM OF OXYGEN MASK AND SMOKE GOGGLE; UNLIKE THE SINGLE-PIECE SYSTEM ON SOME OTHER ACFT. THIS COMBINATION IS AT BEST UNWIELDY TO DON AND USE. RECOMMEND THAT ACFT BE ISSUED MODERN OXYGEN/SMOKE GOGGLE UNITS.