BLOWN TO PIECES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 53, 4 March 1926, Page 9

BLOWN TO PIECES.

CAR AND OCCUPANT.

TRAGEDY NEAR SHANNON

DETOX ATIOX OF EXPLOSIVES

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

I'ALMKRSTOX NORTH, this day

A most shocking fatality occurred near Shannon this morning when a five-seater motor car and its sole occupant, Mr. W. Campbell, of Tokomaru, were literally blo-.vn to pieces by an explosion caused. it is believed, by some explosives which were being carried in the vehicle.

Mr. Campbell was a well known and highly respected resident of the district and bridge foreman for the Makerua Drainage Board. He resided at Tokomaru and was a widower, his wife having died some twelve months ago. There is a family of ten. the eldest a girl 17 years old. being at the present time a patient in Palmerston Xorth Hospital.

Mr. Campbell apparently came down as usual in the morning from Tokomaru to the Makerua Drainage Board's works, about two miles from the town of Shannon, to a point on which workmen are at present operating, being approximately a mile off the main road.

Deceased went to a wliare nearby in his motor ear. apparently to secure supplies for necessary work and returned to the scene of operations.

A terrific explosion was heard by those at the drainage works and even in Shannon. Messrs. Payne and Barron, who were employed on the drains, made their way trith all possible speed to the scene of the explosion, which -,vas about a quarter of a mi'e distant from the whare visited by deceased.

Tt was found that the explosion had originated from the motor car i.self, which was torn to jvees and fragments hurled a srrpat distance away. Of the body of the occupant only small frag-n-ents could be found, he having been literally blown to pieces. Tt is surmised that explosives were being carried in the motor car and that they detonated in sorr.e fashion with the jolting °f the vehicle. The scene of the fatality is a hv rorul. a little rlUtanen fro'n the main Wellineton-Palmerston Xorth highway.