A FORMAL FINDING

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 81, 6 April 1933, Page 13

A FORMAL FINDING

POSTAL EMPLOYEE'S DEATH

FIRE EXTINGUISHER EXPLOSION

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) HASTINGS, This Day. The inquest into the death of William David Kenny,, who died on March 25 as a result of the- explosion of a fire extinguisher- on the occasion of an outbreak of fire at the Hastings Post Office, whre ho was employed, was resumed this morning.

Luther Hill, postmaster at Hastings, gavo evidence that there, were no indications that the extinguisher was not in good working order. AVith others, it was cleaned and recharged last November. The extinguishers were frequently inspected according to instructions. Thomas Thompson, who was with the deceased on tho night of the fatality, said that the deceased tapped the extinguisher on the floor. There was only a trickle coming out, and. the explosion occurred a moment later.

Eobert Henderson, fire brigade superintendent, stated in evidence that he found one part of the extinguisher 35 feet from, where the explosion occurred. Apparently the extinguisher was partly blocked, though it appeared to have been properly cared for. Extinguishers were supposed to need recharging only once in ten years, but in his opinion the nozzle should be attended to at least once yearly. The cause of the explosion appeared to be a. blockage of the nozzle. The extinguisher in question was supposed to withstand a pressure of 3201b to the square inch. Bust appearing in the shell of the mechanism might have been caused, by its having been empty. Albert Victor Harris, senior mechanician, gavo evidence that soda acid extinguishers were refilled biennially. The manufacturers' refill was different from that used- in refilling tho exploded machine. There' were some of the manufacturers' own Tefills actually in I store at the office.

The Coroner remarked that he was not concerned further with technical evidence concerning the cause of the explosion, and he Teturncd a formal verdict as to the cause of death.