POWDER EXPLODES
UNUSUAL ACCIDENT
(By Telegraph—Press Association.) TAURANGA, This Day. An explosion of blasting powder at Welcome Bay, about four miles from Tauranga, resulted in G. Dunton being badly burnt on the left hand and arm, face, and body. Dunton had been engaged during the afternoon blasting logs. Shortly after 4 o'clock he returned to the house carrying a bag containing about five pounds of blasting powder. He stopped near the back door to talk to Mrs. Dunton. At the point where he. stood water was dripping slightly from a tank above. The drips apparently struck his lefthand trousers pocket, in which was a small quantity of sodium chlorate and a box of safety matches and soaked through, causing the sodium.and the matches to ignite, in turn igniting the powder, which exploded. Dunton caught the full force with his left arm, which was very severely burnt. His clothing caught fire and was torn off him by Mrs. Dunton and, others, but he suffered burns on the body and left leg. • He was taken to hospital at Tauranga. It is feared that he may lose the sight of his right eye. Dunton's assistant was alongside him and Mrs. Dunton was a short distance away, but both were uninjured.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19390223.2.147
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 45, 23 February 1939, Page 15
Word Count
207POWDER EXPLODES Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 45, 23 February 1939, Page 15
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