DISASTROUS EXPLOSION AT A FACTORY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 52, 2 March 1901, Page 5 (Supplement)

DISASTROUS EXPLOSION AT A FACTORY.

TWELVE WORKMEN KILLED. A terrible explosion occurred on January 14 at the hat factory of Messrs Wilson, at Donton, a town situated close to Manchester, by which ten persons lost their lives, while about twenty others were badly injured. Work was In full swing at the time, and the factory was crowded with employees, when those, engaged in those parts of the extensive jprcmises which escuped with comparatively little damage heard the terrific noise of the explosion. They rushed out into the yards In a state of pitiable terror, many of them rushing aimlessly about and shrieking hysterically. This, however, did not last long, and the men who had escaped injury soon set to work extricating their less fortunate fellows from the wrecked building.

The scene which awaited them was awful. Many of those who had escaped instant death were found to be suffering from wounds of the most ghastly description, testifying only too clearly to the tremendous force of the explosion. Some of these poor creatures had limbs blown away, and these naturally received first attention. jVreantime the local fire brigade had arrived at the works, and were soon busily engaged in endeavouring to prevent further explosions. Water was poured on the building in large quantities, and the firemen strained every nerve to force their way into the ruins, in the hope of saving the injured men who could be seen helplessly pinned beneath the fallen woodwork and other wreckage, and were threatened with an agonising death from the flames which had burst forth immediately after the first explosion. At one moment It seemed as though there would not be these added horrors, but the flames broke out again in HUGE MASSES OF FIHE, which, quickly gaining in extent and Intensity, overpowered the efforts of the firemen and swept over the whole of the wrecked building. The fire practically burnt itself out, and then came the anxious and awful work of searching the smouldering ruins for the many dead, dying, and injured men who had not been otherwise accounted for. One of the earliest of the numerous gruesome sights which met the eyes of the explorers was witnessed near the huge tanks in the stovehouse. Beneath one of these were no fewer than six dead and mutilated bodies lying in one heap. By two o'clock in the afternoon nine bodies had been extricated. Two men were still missing, and about twenty injured men were under medical and surgical treatment at the hands of a large number of doctors who had been summoned to the scene.

The force of the explosion was such that It was felt for miles distant, and the people of the town and of several adjacent villages rushed into the streets in wild alarm. At Robertson's jam works at Droylsden the brick seting of one of the boilers was cracked by the concussion. Doehair, used at the hat works, rose in a black cloud over the Denton waterworks, and was scattered over the road for a distance of nearly three miles to Droylsden and Audenshaw. A large crowd rushed to the Droylsden Gasworks, on the supposition that the had blown up. It was also feared that a Uisaatw had occurred at the colliery at Audenshaw Station, and a large number of colliers' wives and others hastened panic-stricken to the pit's mouth. The building in which the explosion actually took place was completely shattered and every window was blown out. In addition to the ten persons mentioned above two others died on Monday night at the Manchester Royal Infirmary. A MYSfERIOUS EXPLOSION. As to the cause or tne explosion, It was in the "proof" house that the hats went through the stiffening process. They were first dipped into a mixture of methylated spirits and shellac, which was contained in several large metal vats or tanks. Then they were dried In racks placed over a great stove, this latter being heated by hot-water pipes supplied from a boiler. Many theories of how the disaster was caused were discussed, but all attempts to obtain an authoritative expression of opinion upon the subject at the time failed" Members of the firm expressed their entire ignorance as to what could have led to an explosion of such a character. Nothing of the kind had previously been known in Denton, and so far, at any rate as the stove and the tanks were concerned they wore of a welltried and familiar type and were in excellent repair. The general opinion seemed to favour the suggest on that the stove was at the bottom of the '"S'muuest on the bodies of nine of the victim, was opened on Wednesday but after identification of the victims, J.U journed until January 30.