CHARGE MISFIRES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 290, 19 September 1936, Page 6

CHARGE MISFIRES

SEVERAL BUILDINGS WRECKED.

MACHINERY DAMAGED. ROCK BOMBARDMENT. (Per Press Association). AUCKLAND, September 18. A small gathering of spectatoi'9 at, Sneed’s quarry, on the edge of the Waikato River, above Tuakau, who bad assembled to watch the firing of a twoton charge of gelignite this afternoon, saw a far more spectacular sight than they expected. The charge "blew out,” and in addition to the fall of a lai ge expanse of the rock cliff, a consideiablc quantity of rock was hurled through the air as if fired from a gigantic gun. A three-roomed cottage, the home of one of the quarry workmen, which was situated about 200 yards from the cliff face, collapsed beneath a terrific bombardment of rock. The quarry workshops standing a little farther back were damaged extensively, a shed in front being completely wrecked. A big building, housing valuable crushing plant, was pierced by falling rock, and numerous gaping holes were torn in the roof and walls, which are of corrugated iron. A motor-truck parked near the workshops suffered so much that it looked as if someone had attempted to demolish it with a sledge-hammer. Water spurted from a storage tank, which was so riddled with holes as to resemble a sieve. Luckily all those present were well away from the danger zone. >Seieial hens which were in front of the cottage before the explosion were not so foitunate. Out of about 20 only two survived, many being completely buried. The damage to the company’s plant was not so great as at first appealed probable. A valuable electric motor was unharmed, and the other machinery also escaped serious damage. The workman’s cottage, however, was reduced to matchwood, and the furniture, crockery) and clothing formed a tangled mass of wreckage. Of the contents, which were not insured, vei) little was salvaged undamaged.