THE EXPLOSION MYSTERY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2110, 30 March 1914, Page 6

THE EXPLOSION MYSTERY.

HOW DID IT HAPPEN?

THEORIES AND AVAILABLE EVIDENCE.

NOTHING CONCLUSIVE.

There is no obvious explanation of the terrible explosion which wrought such frightful havoc and loss of life. 'People who experienced its violence near at hand and remain alive to tell the tale agree in attributing the explosion to something equal in power to dynamite or. blasting powder. Circumstances as j to which there is no dispute seem to indicate that there was a quantity of some highly concentrated explosive in the building, bjit there is no definite evidence on the point. Mr. Benge and Mr. Pratt, the proprietors of the store, both state that they had nothing in the way of dynamite or blasting powder in stock, except a fow dozen cartridges. It cannot be supposed for a moment that these would cause so terrible air explosion. The. partners put forward no explanation, and' Mr. Pratt states that the thing is a mystery. Did the Gas Plant Explode? 'Apart from the presence of a high explosive ; in the storo the only theory advanced was that the explosive agent was acetylene gas. Messrs. Benge and Pratt had their«own plant for manufacturing this ilftminant and it was suggested by sonie of those who assisted in fighting the firo that neglect to turn off the gas at. tho gasometer might have permitted it to gather in explosive quantity in one of the rooms of the building. Mv. Benge, when this possibility was suggested to him, indicated that- ho did not credit it.

The acetylene gas theory is further discredited by the circumstances of the fire. There is a conflict of evidence as to tho floor in which it originated, sonie witnesses holding that it began in the upper floor and others that'Ht took its riso on the ground floor in the shop at the front of the building, but there is a general agreement"that tho building was ablaze; upstairs and downstairs before the explosion occurred and that the fire had a hold in the shop before the explosion came. If there had been a body of gas in the shop it, would naturally have exploded as soon as the flames touched it. Another point to be remembered is that tho shop door, was standing wide open while the salvors were at work. The men who were blown across tho street had come out of the shop just before the explosion. Tho weight of evidence seems to bo that the site of the explosion was the south side of the shop. This is the opinion held by Messrs. Thomas and Twohill, two of those who were in and about the shop immediately prior to tho explosion, and it .is homo out by tho complete nature of the destruction effected in that locality. The whole of Benge and Pratt's store collapsed just after the explosion, button the south side, in addition, the lenn-to occupied by Mr. Edwards was demolished (burying Mr. Comesky in tho ruins) ana the Provincial Hotel was very severely shaken and damaged. At about tho spot where tho centro of the explosion is supposed to have been there is.a holo eighteen inches or a couple ;of feet deep from the ordinary level of the site. The police discovered it by sounding in the water on the flooded section with a pole, but it is not known whether tho hole was there before the catastrophe or not. '

.-■ While some of the evidence would seem to point to the presence of an

I explosive agent other than acetylene gas, it is an interesting fact that scv- | oral of the men who wore standing at or near the' shop door at the time of the explosion and were blown across the street were spattered with a solution of calcium carbide, (from which acetylene gas is generated). One theory is that water penetrated to carbide stored in the shop and generated gas in sufficient quantities to cause an explosion. The. generating plant for the supply of gas to illuminate the store is situated in an outhouse at the back, and was not injured by the explosion or fire.

stable Mahoney (deceased), who told him that the store was on fire. Ho lived round the corner about 200 or 300 yards away from the store, and was on the spot a few mhvutes after ho was called. When ho arrived he found the store at the back'of the grocery half of the building on fire. Tho first thiug ho did was to get the safe shifted out into the street, which he, assisted by other willing workors, was able- to do. Leaving the others to continue the removal of goods from the front shop he went round the back to try and save tho plant in the bakehouse. He was carting out a yeast barrel, and was just at the door of tho bakehouse when the explosion took place. "What Caused the Explosion?" What caused the explosion? asked the reporter. / "I-ca.n't understand, it at all!'.' replied Mr. Benge. "All I know about tho explosion was that I was smothered J\in sparks—a shower of sparks from tho burning building.." Did the shock knock you off your feet? "No; I did not feel it, and, strange to say, I did not hear tho report. I must have been so excited at tho time,

wood. At the time of the explosion Mr.. Pratt was in the bakehouse. Sβ heard the report, and felt a. shack. •"'I did not know of any fatalities," continued Mr. Pratt, "until after the fire was-well under way, aikl I tamo round to tho front of tiw> bidMing, 1 can advance no • theory as to tho otigin of the fire, which I be-lieve. started'in Edwards's office."

Mr. Pratt further stated that Mr. Bongo and he left- the buildrag <mi Saturday night about 9.30, when everything appeared to bo safe.

"So far as I.am aware," said "Mr. Pratt, "thero were no explosives- whatever on the promises. Tlie whole thing," lie added, e 'is a mystery," Messrs. Bcrige aiwl Pratt liaVe been associated in business at Upper Hutt for tho past five years.