FIVE KILLED IN EXPLOSION IN HUTT VALLEY CHEMICAL PLANT

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33650, 27 September 1974, Page 1

FIVE KILLED IN EXPLOSION IN HUTT VALLEY CHEMICAL PLANT

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, Sept. 26. Five men were killed when an explosion ravaged a chemical manufacturing factory at Gracefield, in the Hutt Valley, today.

Police and ambulancemen who went into the blazing factory only minutes after the explosion occurred said that the five men would "not have known what hit them.”

The explosion occurred about 12.50 p.m. in the factory section of the Chemicals Manufacturing Company, Ltd, described by its general manager (Mr B. J. O’Donoghue) as a subsidiary of BP (New Zealand), Ltd.

In a second explosion, a 2000-gallon tank was ! hurled 50ft through the factory roof, landed on an elevated bitumen tank in the next section, and bounced back into the factory yard. “The first explosion was a dull explosion followed by a tremendous bang,” said Mr I. J. Walker, the Lower Hutt chief fire officer. The second explosion was coupled with the tank being blown through the roof. “Like a rocket” “The tank was standing on three legs like a tripod and took off like a rocket,” Mr Walker said. “It contained different oil-waste products,

and launched upward just like a rocket.” Mr Walker said flames then engulfed the interior of the building. The flames soared 60ft into the air for almost an hour after the explosion occurred. The five men killed by the explosion “were stopped in their tracks.” he said. “It’s not the first time the factory has had something like this happen. There was a fire down there some years ago, but we managed to get it out. “These five chaps didn’t make it — but I would say that the two who did would be the luckiest chaps alive in New Zealand today.” Cause unknown Police and company explosive experts had this evening not determined the cause of the explosion. Mr O’Donoghue said he “would not even hazard a guess,” and would be surprised if anything was discovered, within 24 hours. About 50 policemen, firemen, and ambulance men rushed to the scene and entered the building immediately, in spite of a warning from the company that further explosions could occur. Fireman overcome One fireman, Fire Officer W. Murray, of Petone, was overcome by smoke within a few minutes, and was carried unconscious to one of four waiting ambulances. He was taken to Hutt Hospital, and later discharged. Other firemen fired foam from hand-held extinguishers into the blaze in their attempts to get into the factory and discern whether any of the men inside were alive. As they worked, three ambulances stood outside the gates, their back doors wide open and stretchers at the ready, in case there were survivors.

Women wait Four bodies were discovered as promptly as the police expected — but they took more than three hours t’o find the fifth body.

The bodies were scattered throughout the factory area. As they searched, a group of four women, one in her early twenties, stood silently at the gates leading into the factory. They declined to speak to anyone except Mr O’Donoghue, and were escorted away by company officials after the bodies were removed.