EXPLOSION REPORTS

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28422, 31 October 1957, Page 16

EXPLOSION REPORTS

Description By Residents

“Crump, crump, crump” was how another Christchurch resident described the explosions which have been heard in th? city. The resident was one of six more persons who have now got in touch with “The Press” about the explosions. Many more persons are thought to have heard the noises, as reports yesterday said that residents had been on the streets on the evening of Labour Day trying to locate the sounds.

Yesterday brought no explanation which could not be discounted.

Mrs R. M. Wood, of 29 McMillan avenue, Cashmere, reported that she had heard explosions for an hour on Labour Day between 8.30 p.m. and 9.30 p.m. Yesterday she said, "I have just been out into the garden (it was 2 p.m.) and have heard explosions somewhere west of the city. I heard the same thing on Labour Day, but thought it was u ind around the house. Two members of “The Press” staff reported explosions again yesterday. Louder Than Aircraft A Mr O’Connor, who lives one mile from the Christchurch International Airport, reported “crumps” he had heard on Tuesday. He said they had begun shortly after 11 a.m. while a Globemaster was taking off and could be heard above the noise of the aircraft.

Mr R. D. Dick, an experienced mountaineer, was asked to comment pn the view of a Fendalton man that the sounds were possibly the thuds of avalanches in the mountains.

“Avalanches at this time of the year are common. They make plenty of noise, especially ice avalanches, but the nearest avalanches to Christchurch would De in the Mount Torlesse region, and they would be only snow avalanches. I doubt if they would be heard here, although they do make a great deal of noise when you are in the mountains.

Yesterday weather experts said that inversion of cooling air from the ground when it strikes warming air about 35,000 feet could cause a reflection of sound waves

Although Mr Dick could say no more about avalanches, he confirmed reports of the explosions. About 9 p.m. on Labour Day he left his house to investigate quite loud thudding explosions. They had continued regularly for some time. “I would say they came from the west of the city.”

Car Radio Stolen.— Thieves on Friday evening unlocked a locked car and dismantled a built-in radio valued about £3O. The owner of the car left the vehicle locked in a parking lot near his Manchester street shop at 8 p.m., and returned to it at 11 p.m. The thieves locked the vehicle again, and did not take the aerial.