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Grey River Argus, 14 February 1940, Page 10

It is now revealed that only 7 the merest chance saved Napier from a major disaster last week, when the coaster Koutunui collided with. the Nobel Explosives Company s ketpn Miro, which was anchored m the roadstead, states a Napier correspondent. Details of the Miro’s cargo reveal what , might have happened. II comprised 775 boxes of gelignite, each weighing 501 b.,. 150 boxes of blasting powder, eaching weighing 25 lb and 11 boxes of detonators, it is stated that had the Koutunui struck the Miro eight , feet further aft she would have rammed the detonator locker, which would probably have ignited the rest of the cargo. What the consequences might have, been can only be . imagined but the explosion would almost certainly have .killed between 80 and 90 men—the crews of. the Miro and the Koutunui and the waterside workers which the Koutunui was bringing back from the roadstead ; as well as endangering the large oil storage tanks at Port Ahuriri.