SYDNEY BLAZE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 120, 24 May 1938, Page 7

SYDNEY BLAZE.

CRACKERS EXPLODE.

CHAIN STORE SENSATION.

IXVE HOSPITAL CASES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY. May 20. ' A cigarette end. flicked on to a stack of crackers at the Pitt Street store of G. J. Coles and Company, Limited, yesterday afternoon, started explosions and a fire, which caused a panic among 300 customers and 150 employees.

In a few seconds the store was filled with acrid smoke. Women screamed as they fought to get outside, girl employees collapsed at many of the counters, and many were knocked down and trampled on. A man, a woman and three girls were taken to Sydney Hospital suffering from shock and the effects of smoke. Most of the fireworks were covered with plateglass, but those nearest the inside of the counter, where Gordon M. Parke, of Parramatta Road, Petersham, and five girls were attending to the customers, were exposed (states the "Sydney Morning Herald").

Salesman's Story. "The man pulled a- piece of paper from his pocket and said, "I want to buy this list of fireworks for a party," said Gordon Parke. "He was smoking a cigarette, and I said to him that it would be safer if he put his cigarette out. He agreed, and possibly without thinking, I squeezed the end of his cigarette over the counter.

"The sparks set alight to the wicks of some of the fireworks, and in a few seconds it seemed as if the whole store was under machine-gun fire. , One of the girl assistants fainted and fell under the counter, where she was being showered with sparks and flares of every de~cri['tion. I managed to pick her up and threw her over the counter out of dan- | ? er "

For ten minutes the fireworks flared and exploded. The flames in a few minutes were reaching the ceiiinir and the smoke filled every part of the floor. The automatic sprinklers caused jet> of water to rain from the ceilin?. and great confusion followed. Over the din of the explodinjr crackers could be heard the screams of women of all apes, and even men, who struggled, almost blinded, to the exits. "The smoke was so blinding." said Mr. Beare, '"and so many girls and «on:en were screaming and collapsing, that tluscene was the most exciting encountered bv the brigade in Sydney for many Years. Fortunately the sprinklers were pourinsr water from the eeilinc jets and these kept the fire in check."' Many Trampled On. Younpr men on -the counters did good work in helping girl assistants an<l women customers to reach the street, but in the confusion many women were knocked down and tramuled on.

Many women customers were carried unconscious or in a state of hysteria by police, firemen and shop a~ = !-lan"~. into the street. After the fire had been extinguished and the had cleared awav. Mr. Beare was besieged by women ar-kin? him to find their I'its and other belon:riii;rs. Most of them were recovered but many were trampled out of shape. Mr. K. F. Coles, managing director, said that the total damage was abotA £1000.

A picture of the crowd watching tlie Sydney til c appears on page 12.