TERRIFIC EXPLOSION AT SEA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 223, 20 September 1893, Page 8

TERRIFIC EXPLOSION AT SEA.

DEATH OF THE BOATSWAIN,

TWO OTHER MEN INJURED,

The steamer Hozelbrancli, which brought sugar to Adelaido from Java two weeks ago, discharged 2,000 tons, and with 300 tons on bourdsailod for Melbourne on the 6th. She had reached past CapeWilloughby, and was shaping a course down the coast lino when sho experienced a very heavy galo, in which the vessel laboured furiously. At noon on Thursday the boatswain took occaaion to go below to see if anything had broken adrift, and, on opening the hatch of the lazaretto, a terrific explosion occurrod, completely wrecking the fore end of the vessel. The explosion was so groat that the whole of the clothing of the unfortunate boatswain was torn off him, and when picked up he was as naked as when he was born, The injuries he sustained woro ghastly. His left foot was blown right off above the ankle; the flesh on the right forearm was torn away from tho bono,' and a serious scalp wound and other injuries were addod to the complicated sulferings of tho man. Ho was taken out of the forepenk in a semi-conscious condition, and, after lingering in groat agony for a short timo, he lost consciousness and died. Two seamen were blown out) of the forooaatle, but neither waa seriously hurt. Tlio lower part of tho main stem from the wuterline was blown out, allowing the water free ingress to tho forohold. The decks started aa far as tho bulkhead of the second hold, and tho bow plating startod from the frames, completely drawing the rivets. The fore end of the vossel was so damaged that two of the foro compartments at once tilled with water, causing the veasol to bo flooded to above tho 'tween decks. The force of the explosion threw aloft all the foro hatches to a height above the foretopmast truck.

The captain decided to return to port ab once, but owing to the screw boing bo much oub of water slow progress was made, and as the vessel would barely steer, a drag was improvised to keep her straight. She reached tho Semaphore- oarly on Saturday morning. The causo of tho explosion was some patent auti-fouling composition contained in 14 10-gallon drums, which had been three months in the vessel, and which wa3 supposed to havo broken adritb during the gale and generated highly 'inflammable gas, which was [feet alight by tho boatswain's lamp. About 200 tons of sugar, which were in tho forehold, wero damaged. This morning tho vessel was taken up the Porb River and berthed. It is impossible ab present to state the amount of damage she has sustained. The Hnzelbranch, which is a Rteel vessel, with a gross tonnage of 2573 tons, was built by Messrs Barbram, Boavvell and Co., Sundorlanrt, in ISB9. About fifty men set lo work removing the debris from tho interior of tho vessel. A more detailed inspection of tho injuries sustained by the steamer increases tho sur-1 prise that she over survived the explosion. A curious circumstance about the explosion was the absence of flaine3. The intorior of the voseoi shows no trace of tire, tho woodwork iB not scorched nor paint discoloured.