HEAVY THUNDERSTORM.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 201, 27 August 1886, Page 3

HEAVY THUNDERSTORM.

Fall of a Thunderbolt at Newmarket.

Considerable sensation was caused at Newmarket yesterday afternoon by the uewa that a thunderbolt had fallen near the railway bridge at the Manukau Road. About half-past four, a heavy clap of thunder was heard, and simultaneously a quantity of earth was thrown into tho air from a point close to the railway lino. A tolegraph wire waa fused for a considerable distance, and thoro seems no reason to doubt that the phenomenon waa caused by the fall of a thunderbolt. An examination thia morning of tho place where ths thunder bolt fell shows that about a ton of oartb bad been moved from tho side of tho old quarry. Messrs Bowor, Grosvonor, and several othor persons who were standing at tho cornor of the Kybor Paaa ansl Manukau Roads at tho timo state that just as thoy heard tho thunder-clap, thoy saw a sheet of flame strike tho ground, and immediately after the oanh waa thrown up. A train was passing tho place at tho timo, and had a narrow escape. Mr Harry Harris, who was in tho train, has made the following statemont to a Star reporter:—At 25 minutjs past 4 I was in tho 4.15 train from Auckland to Onohunga. At about 4 25, whilo tho train was drawing into Nowmivrket Station, thoro was a brilliant flash of lightning, nttonded simultaneously by a loud clap ot thun-der-the loudest I ever heard. I was stunding at the door of tho carriage at tho time. Just after the flash •omothing struck tho gully to tho right of tho railway track about 30 yards from tho train. I caw a shower of «parks flying in tho air from the point of contact, and a largo quantity of oarth waa thrown up. Tho peoplo in tho train wero vory much alarmed at the occurrence.

Anothor eye-witness eaya—" During tho thunderstorm yen torday afternoon nth undorbolt foil at Newmarket, and caused groat excitement for a few minutes. The train had just como in from Auckland, an ; i as it stopped a terrible explosion took place right over the train. Tho lightening flashes wero ao vivid and rapid, and tho crackling thunder so intonso that evoryono for tho timo boing was dazed, and tho whole explosion was oyer bofcre anyono had timo to think what was tho matter. Tho lightining Hash first appeared not more than 5Q foot from tho earth, and it struck out an angb of 15 degrees to earth, throwing up a ereat cioud of what appeared to bo sulphurous smoke, but what those noarost said was earth and mud. The bolt outerod the ground closo to where two mon w,pro working at a railway truck. With tho exception of cutting the telegraph wirea it did no further harm, but every horse in Newmarket bolted, and mado a wild stampede. For a fow moments tho oxcitoment was aa great aa if a liofd ftf artillory had opened fire in the place."