TERRIFIC GAS EXPLOSION ON BOARD A GREENOCK SHIP.

Evening Post, Volume XIV, Issue 49, 26 August 1876, Page 1 (Supplement)

TERRIFIC GAS EXPLOSION ON BOARD A GREENOCK SHIP.

? •. - i,^ A terrific coal gas explosion; attended with « °, , °t occurred »n Penarth Dock, Cardiff, at 9 o clock on Monday morning, the 19th June. The Atalanta ? a barque belonging to Greenock, was loaded with 1500 tons of steam coal, bound for Hong Konpr. The hatches were battened down on Saturday* and covered with tarpaulin. This morning the ship was irot ready for sea. There were on board 3 ,Cft]ptalir^Joh» Brown and thirteen men, others -having to join the vessel at Cardiff. The second mate and a seaman went .below with a candle and lighted a match. The%oal gas ex* ploded immediately, blowing" up the deck, cabin, and forecastle. All those on deok.were blown up— some as high as the.topgallam>yard, some over into the dock, while .others jfell on deck. The mate (Whitworth) was^lojlra up a great height, and killed by the.\fall.^ John Malone, a seaman, was also killed ?by. the falC Antonio, an Italian, was blown iht6 the yards and then fell into the watert w«s rescued, but died in a few minutes. Other il* of the crew who were blown up were |p severely injured that several are not expdctSd'to survive. The mate of another vessel, named O'KilloJghan, was blown on to the deck of lite ship, and died soon afterwards The captain of the Atlanta had only entered his ship a few minutes before the explosion. He had a narrdw escape from drowning. Beinfr severely burned, he could not do anything to help himself, but was saved by the>courage of sailors belonging to another vessel." The Area? dia and the Kertochan lying alongside were greatly damaged, their sails having, taken fire* The Atalanta has been hauled into the outer basin, and the fire .subdued. The explosion was heard at a distance of several miles. A Board of Trade investigation will be made intd the circumstances.

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