DELAYED EXPLOSION

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 July 1939, Page 5

DELAYED EXPLOSION

QUARRYMAN INJURED

[FEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

AUCKLAND, July 18

One quarryman Was seriously injured and another had a remarkable escape when a delayed explosive charge being used in a public works quarry near Taupaki caught them unawares. The injured man, Walter Raymond Fitton, 52, of Auckland, was brought in an ambulance to the Auckland Hospital; but his companion. T. D. Menzies, was unhurt. They are two of nine men in the camp. “It happened at about half-past eight this morning,” said Menzies. “Wally (Fitton) and I put in two shots about six feet from the floor of the quarry, fired them, and then went a safe distance away. There was an explosion, and it r ounded to both of us like a double one, as if both charges had gone off at once. We thought that was so, and went toward the face. For some reason or other I didn’t go straight toward it. but a little to the right. Wally was about 10 feet away from the face, right in front of where we had laid the two charges, and I was about six feet to the right of him when suddenly there was an explosion, and about 15 yards of rock and earth came straight out. “As soon as I heard the bang I threw myself on to my face. I got up. Wally was lying on top of a heap of rock. 1 could see he was badly hurt. I called out to one of my mates to look after him, while I went to get a doctor.” The injured man was fully conscious almost' throughout the morning; but he stoically bore the journey from the quarry to the hospital. He suffered extensive injuries to the head and chest. His condition is very serious.