FACTORY BLAST
Chemicals explosion (N.Z. Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, Nov. 3. The New Plymouth port industrial area was rocked by a spectacular explosion just before 7.30 tonight. The explosion ripped through the top floor of Ivon Watkins-Dow, Ltd’s, agricultural chemicals factory, producing what witnesses described as an orange fireball with a huge mushroom cloud of smoke.
Four men working nearby had a remarkable escape. Apart from minor cuts to two of them, and shock, they were unharmed.
Although the damage appeared violent, it was confined to walls and the roof of the factory building. These are constructed of corrugated iron on steel frames and specially designed to yield under the impact of an explosion. Witnesses described flames leaping 200 ft into the air, but the factory’s sprinkler system doused the fire within seconds, and the only damage was caused by the impact. The company’s managing director (Mr R. F. Bollen) said the explosion would not seriously affect production. Unofficial reports said the explosion occurred in a chemicals vat.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33065, 4 November 1972, Page 16
Word Count
168FACTORY BLAST Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33065, 4 November 1972, Page 16
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