GEORGE STREET EXPLOSION

Evening Star, Issue 19326, 12 August 1926, Page 4

GEORGE STREET EXPLOSION

WOW CLAIMS MAGES CITY COLORATION SUED Hearing was continued before His Honor Mr Justice Sim and a special jury this morning of the case in which Daniel Langford Smith and Annie Smith claimed £239 16s 6d from tho Dunedin City Corporation for injuries caused to Mrs Smith in an explosion in the front of the shop of Miss Barnett, in George street, on October 2 of last year. Mr W. G. Hay appeared for tho plaintiff's, and Mr H. E. Barrowclough lor the defendant. Cross-oxamined_ by Mr Hay, Alfred Henry Davies sail there had been no particular trouble with tho circuit concerned in the case. Ho could not say what gas caused tho explosion. A spark occurred when lie touched the wire coming out of the switch box. He did not notice any smell in the shop. A candle was given to him, and he put it in his pocket. He did not light tho candle. Keats, who was with him, struck a match as he entered the cellar, but the match was out before the explosion occurred. Nobody challenged him after the accident in respect to the use of a light in the cellar. Fumes of bitumen came up after a hole was dug in tho pavement. Frederick Frank Keats, linesman, said ho was told that a fault had probably occurred on the circuit. Witness went into Dickson’s hoot shop, and was told there were fumes coming out of Miss Barnett’s cellar. Witness went to tho cellar with Mr Davies, and lit a match as he opened the door. There was light enough in the cellar to see the way across it. It )gas a wooden match he lit, and it went out quickly. Witness did not light another match in the cellar, nor did Mr Davies. The latter put his hand up to the switchboard, and the explosion occurred. To Mr Hay: He was not shown by Mr Dickson vapor coming out of tho cellar. He did not notice an unusual smell. It was not because the cellar was dark that ho lit a match, but because ho saw Mr Davies get the candle. After the explosion a Mr Scott asked him if he were the man who had the light in the cellar, and ho replied there was no light in the cellar. Arthur Vonot Mackic, in charge of the test room, said he wont to Lire cellar later in the afternoon. He was shown a hole in the conduit, and removed it to expose tho wires, which were charred for about nine inches on either side of the hole, ft would be possible for a partial short- circuit or partial “earth” to take place, and still leave the fuse intact. Jt was consistent with the facts that a hole in the conduit was blown at the time of the explosion and was the cause of the explosion. To Mr Hay; He did not think there had been a band round the hole in the pipe. A new conduit would be put in when a hole occurred.

Air Hay said lie suggested there were traces of a band having been round the hole, and he would ask the jury to examine tho piece of conduit. His Honor: How did the explosion occur?

Witness said his idea was that there was illuminating gas present in some part of the building, and that it was lighted by the arc caused by the hole being blown in the conduit. Arthur Howden Dickson, draughts man in the E.P. and L. department, gave evidence respecting the measurements of the shop and cellar. The jury left at 11.45 to inspect the premises, and, on its return, counsel addressed tho court.