MIGHTY BLAST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 3, 5 January 1938, Page 16

MIGHTY BLAST.

EXPLOSION TRAGEDY.

MAN AND WOMAN DIE.

BODIES HURLED 9 OFT.

MELBOURNE, December 31

A youth and a young woman, both holiday visitors from Melbourne, were killed instantly at Kilcunda, near Wonthaggi, when an explosive magazine on the property of the Victorian Coal Mining Company blew up in mysterious circumstances. The terrific explosion, which completely wrecked two houses 50 yards from the magazine, hurled the woman over a rocky cliff into the sea. The victims were: Ruby Finch, 26, of Kyarra Street, Hampton, and lan Edward Heyman, 17, of Hudson's Road, Spotswood. Stripped of every shred of clothing, the body of Heyman was found on the edge of the cliff 90 feet from the hole where the magazine had been. Rifles Found Nearby. Two shattered pea-rifles were found nearby, and it is assumed that the explosion was caused by a bullet being tired into the tin shed which contained 5011) of gelignite and fuses. Resentme-nt was caused among miners and local residents, who rushed to the scene of the explosion, by the action of an official of the Mines Department who, they declare, prevented the recovery of Miss Finch's body. Although several miners were prepared to descend the dangerous cliff face when they saw the body of Miss Finch floating at the water's edge, they state that they were # prevented by this official. By the time the police arrived the body had disappeared in the siirf. Miss Finch and Heyman, who were both spending a holiday at the Kilcunda Hotel with their parents, were seen to leave about 9.30 a.m., carrying pearifles. Heyman was a keen sportsman, and bad made many shooting excursions during his stay at Kilcunda. Terrific Explosion. Shortly before 10 a.m., Mrs. F. McXair, lives on the mine property, saw the couple walking towards the magazine as she was cycling across the paddock. She noticed that the youth was carrying both rifles. A few seconds later there was a terrific explosion which threw her from her bicycle. The explosion was heard in neighbouring townships more than five miles away, and it completely wrecked the homes of Messrs. J. Churchill, a miner, and J. Hyslop, an enginedriver, situated 50 yards from the magazine. | Miners who rushed to the scene found a great hole torn in the ground where the magazine had stood. At the cliff edge was the mangled body of Heyman, and in the surf, 200 feet below, they saw the body of Miss Finch. Pieces | of the tin shed and the boxes which contained the gelignite were strewn over a wide area. On the grass were two distinct tracks showing where the terrific blast had blown the two victims along the ground. Homes Wrecked. Mrs. J. Churchill was working in her kitchen when the room suddenly collapsed around her. Pictures were blown from their frames, windows were torn from their sashes, the roof and walls were wrecked, and every article of crockery in the house was shattered. A heavy crockery cabinet was thrown on top of Mrs. Churchill, pinning her to the floor. She was released by a neighbour, and had to be treated for shock and abrasions. The full blast of the explosion struck the home of Mr. and Mrs. Hyslop, less than 50 yards from the magazine. The weatherboard walls and iron roof were twisted and torn as if the house had been in the path of a hurricane. George H\ slop, 19, was asleep in his bedroom when the roofing collapsed on top of him. Fortunately, the heavier timbers fell at the foot of the bed, and he escaped with minor injuries to the back and neck. Mr. Hyslop s home was even more extensively damaged than that of Mr. Chin chill. A picket fence was torn up. gaping holes were left in the walls, and e\ei\ article of furniture was damaged. The concussion killed two pet canaries in their cages. Mirrors in houses more than a mile from the magazine were cracked, and windows were shattered.

Pathetic Feature,

A pathetic feature of the tragedy was that Miss Finch's fiance was due to arrive at Kilcunda- that night for a holiday. Late in the afternoon, when the curious crowd had at last dispersed, lie stood alone at the edge of the cliffs watching the efforts of the police to recover Miss Finch's bod v.

A full inquiry will be held into the cause of the explosion, which mystifies many officials. The tin magazine in which the gelignite and fuses were housed stood about four feet above the ground level. . Oil the side, towards the cliffs, the walls were heavily banked with earth, and notices bearing the words: "Danger, explosives," were liung on the door.

From the position of Hevnian's body it is thought that ho stunihied, and that a bullet accidentally discharged from his rifle penetrated the tin wall of the magazine.