Man Dies After Explosion

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31501, 16 October 1967, Page 24

Man Dies After Explosion

(New Zealand Press Association) WHANGAREI, October 15. A man died after an explosion in the works of Wilsons (N.Z.) Portland Cement Company, Ltd, at Portland, near Whangarei, on Saturday.

'The man was dragged clear of a burning building by two fellow workers and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and external heart massage were given, but he was dead on arrival at Whangarei Hospital. He was Douglas Ruanui Harris, aged 35, married, with two children, a maintenance hand of Whangarei. Mr Harris was working on machinery above a kiln at the works at about 10.30 a.m. on Saturday. A jet of powdered coal fuel burst >om a par l : of the machinery two floors below him and hit the hot hood of the kiln and exploded. The Whangarei police said Mr Harris fell about 25 feet to a concrete floor. Two other men were working nearby. One, Mr S. F. Aukett, ran to a floor above

his working position, and edged his way along a beam then down a column to safety. Mr K. C. Hale jumped to the floor below when the fire blocked the stairway. Together they went back through the flames, found Mr Harris unconscious and dragged him out of the building The Portland Voluntary Fire Brigade was called. A fireman began giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while the brigade, soon supplemented by units of the Whangarei Fire Brigade, fought the fire. An employee of the Portland works tried external heart massage until Mr Harris was placed in an ambulance and taken to Whangarei. The fire was quickly extinguished. The kiln was doused and the powdered coal fuel soaked to prevent spread of flames.