HAVOC WREAKED

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18185, 23 September 1924, Page 9

HAVOC WREAKED

$G EXPLOSION AT AVONDALE. jOTAHSATOR BUILDING WRECKED. JIACHINERY REDUCED TO SCRAP METAL. (PUSS ASSOCIATION 7ELSOBAV.) AUCKLAND, September 22. A terrific explosion, the cause of Tflich at present is not known, ocggxiti -about 8.45 o'clock this evening iat&e totalisator building at Avondalo recourse, resulting in heavy damage god the destruction of valuable gjienincry. Following immediately na the explosion, fire broke out in thy jojjding, but this was promptly mastgtei by the Avondalc Volunteer Tire Brigade, which came on the scene with '{fro hand reels. Unfortunately ono ef/tße- hoses was put out of action through the breaking of a hydrant, got'for this the fire would have been in even less time. jfcfi first indication that anything .jfjj'amiss was the sudden sound of an ijtojpl'qsion, and a shaking effect felt jta,h'ouses throughout the district. Men came a sheet of vivid flame, Ijjghtiag up the racecourse, and giving ?[j-pjear indication as to the scene of J [^trouble.

I <J«ptairi L, Watson, of the local briIttih Bur " e< * t0 tbe s P ot w *'* l nsno ot 'Jjl m«B. They found the centro of like boildixtg enveloped in flames. AH 'rtttd lay sheets of iron which had 'jjjn blown from tho roof. Some of ftepe sheets were, some distance away. For a sp? ce °* about CO feet the roof tfTfiring had gone, leaving tho girders uked to the sky. Twelve feet of tho frwt wall had also been blown out. 'ljUlthe windows in the building wore "iiiattered, and inside tho expensive used iu connexion with the itwkJag of the totalisator lay in a con of twisted debris.

j 'VfHen tho fire was put out, the scene „*a one of destruction. On the floor ' "vae masses of sodden papers and old ?safisator tickets, pieces of charred : fjjjstT and wrecked furniture, luv wjfciely under tho hole in the roof •Wtfcfl ruin of the macbinory with -ml of office furniture piled up 'ffllJjlt it at all angles. Tho maehiuW"&id been reduced to scrap metal ft'tte force of the explosion, and iy j#Wd all repair. i;sSjrior-Beteetive Cumminge, with to the Bccne immediately, it /J4J»Qwa a eataetrophc bad huppeay&j and were busily investigating the Jist%lot*oi tho building wiiu the aid ' Jjtijjlsctrio torches, whilst the hose was playod on the heapod up the bulk of the damage W'lte tduliaator was done by the ,^Wttjp)j l that arising from lire being iiwwitjvely trivial. It was the miubuilding in the, vicinity of that suffered most. Two Ipttjof the lonjr, narrow building esthat they were heavily water. T,here was a good of water, and even after the sfwpiose had been put out of operar jpji/firo men were able to throw a f to the smouldering porJ 3feifsf the building, Oia»g9 to the extent of thousands **&Wis. was occasioned by the explow. Jt w understood the building were fully eovered by inbut the exaet amount was not ijSpanablo this evening. Josa of the totalisator roachinr '|fejli-ftf course, the nigin item, and jgjttqpg it will be very costly. from the deafening noise, the the explosion w*s felt widfily »to district. At a house two and #|tt wiles away it was reported that -feWßWttiop' was sufficient to throw i|P«"»S umbrella down in th« hall.

ij3|feNfir"sv arrivals fouod tb« I wK t3S *^ i I 4p!NM> torn from the wall, &r»d the f aps of tho lock still protruding. | w«g a considerable distance I the placa of t!ie explosion.