FIRE NEAR 400 BARRELS OF GUNPOWDER

Evening Star, Issue 20257, 19 August 1929, Page 9

FIRE NEAR 400 BARRELS OF GUNPOWDER

QUARRY VILLAGERS FLEE FROM THEIR HOMES An alarming incident occurred at the Bona we granite quarries, Argyllshire, which caused the villagers to llee from their homes in the early morning. The quarries are situated on the northern shore of Loch Ktive, are owned by Messrs Gardner and Co., and give employment to 30U workers. They were preparing to are a monster blast that had almost been completed. A great chambered shaft, sunk 210 ft into the mountain face, contained 400 barrels of gunpowder, sufficient to dislodge over half a million tons of granite rock. On entering the shaft to resume operations the men were startled to see a dense cloud of smoke issuing from the powder chamber. The alarm was raised, and the employees fled to a place of safety with their wives and children, leaving their homes deserted. Three men were injuredwdien scrambling down the steep gradient from the top of the powder shaft, their names being Thomas Peel, Robert Kemp, and Alastair Macdonald. The threatened explosion did not occur, however. Major Struthers, the quarry manager, climbed down tho shaft alone, and found a number of bags smouldering dangerously near the explosion. With difficulty ho extinguished them. Major Struthers was warmly congratulated by the whole community for his brave action, which probably prevented a serious disaster.