Higher blast toll feared
NZPA-PA London Eleven people were confirmed dead yesterday in the underground blast at Abbeystead waterworks in Lancashire.
An ambulance brigade spokesman said that 36 others had been injured and taken to hospitals in Lancaster and Preston. Rescue workers were continuing to search the wreckage of the isolated water pumping-station in the Forest of Bowland.
The police said that they were having difficulties in establishing how many people were at the showpiece plant when the explosion ripped through it earlier yesterday. Three parties were being shown round the works, including a group of councillors and their wives from a nearby village. The Lancashire police said that it was feared several people were still trapped. “At this stage we can only assume that they are no longer alive. In other words, the death toll will almost certainly rise,” said a spokesman. The explosion happened as the group of councillors, from the village of St Michael’s-on-Wyre, 16km away, were touring the plant with two groups of Water Authority workers. Five people were dead on arrival at Lancaster Royal Infirmary and another died shortly afterwards. Several of the injured were seriously burned and were taken to a hospital in Preston, which has a specialist burns unit.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19840525.2.76
Bibliographic details
Press, 25 May 1984, Page 6
Word Count
206Higher blast toll feared Press, 25 May 1984, Page 6
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.