SPIRITS EXPLODE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22426, 5 September 1947, Page 6

SPIRITS EXPLODE

MAUI POMARE DAMAGE ELECTRICIAN BURNED (P.A.) AUCKLAND._ Sept. 5. An explosion and fire which was caused when a spark from a tailing batterv ignited some white spirit vapour wrecked the electrician's storeroom and damaged other cabins on board the Government motor vessel Maui Pomai'e when the vessel was about tnO miles from Auckland on Tuesday. Severe burns to his hands were suitered bv the chief electrician. Mr H. h. Collins, who was in the storeroom at the time. but there were no other casualties and the fire was quickly put out by means of a foam extinguisher. Mr Collins was cleaning his hands in a tin of white spirit when the roll ot the shin dislodged a battery standing on a nearby shelf. In falling, the battery apparently short circuited as it touched metal and the spark ignited the white spirit vapour. The wooden bulkhead of the storeroom was smashed by the explosion and the fire spread quickly. The force of the explosion by-passed a nearby cabin but shattered a porcelain water filter and damaged the bulkhead m a cabin several yards down the passage. No serious structural damage was done to the vessel and the cargo of fruit and produce was unharmed. CHILD DIES OF SCALDS (P.A.) ASHBURTON, Sept. 5. Suffering from scalds which, it is understood, she received at her home, Lillian Natalie Brooker. the 18-months-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Brookei, Lyndhurst, was admitted to the Ashburton Hospital, where she died yesterday morning. The details of the accident at present are not available.