FURTHER PARTICULARS
WELLINGTON, March 5. Particulars of the explosions at the fort show that first-class torpedo men Rosa and Jensen, and second-class torpedo men Cornwall and Goldie, and third-clase torpedo man McCallum were in the smithy filling canisters with gun cotton when the explosion took place. Each tin holds about 4£lb, and a large number had been filled during the morning. The usual practice is to put cold ashes on top of each canister to facilitate the soldering process, and it is supposed that by some mistake the ashes got mixed with those in use and so set fire to rhe explosive. One canister exploded and three others were detonated. Jensen, Cornwall and Boss were seriously injured. Their clothes were almost con* sumed and their features scarcely distinguishable. It is feared Boss* chances of recovery are very slender, for, besides the injuries, the shock to his system is very severe. H's depositions have been taken. Boss is a married man residing in the city. The other men not injured much are single. Ross, who had charge of the working party, is an experienced and cautious man.
The man Boss, the victim of the explosion at the fort, is horribly disfigured, his whole body is more or less scorched and the skin is burnt off hie faoe, arms, and legs. He has cuts on both his hips, leg?, and lip, and a terrible wound in hie abdomen. The other men are very badly hurt by being driven by the force of the concussion against the machinery in the building. As to the cause of the accident there are two theories. One is that ashes which had been used to fill up the tine contained litre embers, the other that the heat of the soldering iron ignited it. It may be mentioned that the work of filling these tins was earned on within 7ft of the smithy fire. The other four men, though seriously injured, are not nearly in such a bad case as the unfortunate man Boss. Captain Falconer, torpedo instructor, had only left the eked a minute or two before tfee explosion took place. An inquiry will probably beheld.
FURTHER PARTICULARS
Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7804, 6 March 1891, Page 5
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