FIRE IN CHEMICAL WORKS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 April 1937, Page 8

FIRE IN CHEMICAL WORKS.

ONE WORKMAN DEAD, ANOTHER SERIOUSLY BURNED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WANGANUI, Last Night. One workman lost Ms life, another received serious burns and six others were affected by fumes when sulphur dust in an elevator shaft at Ivemp-thorne-Prosser’s chemical works at Aramoho became accidentally ignited this morning. ' The man who lost his life was John Oscar Bovey, aged 48 years, of 46 Durie [street, Durie hill, married, with four children. ‘George Gould, who resides at Trafalgar House, was severely burned and taken to the Wanganui hospital, where he is reported to be progressing favourably. The other workmen who suffered from the effects of sulphurous fumes, but were able to proceed to their homes, were L. Lockett, of Springvale road; M. McKenna, of 9 Tanguru street, Wanganui East; J. Penn, of 19 Alexander street; J. Huggins, of 218 Heads jroad; B. Phillips, of 101 Campbell street; A. Witt, of 54 Jones street, Wanganui East. It appears that the eight workmen were engaged at the bottom of the elevator which conveys sulphur from the trucks- to the storerooms, when the elevator belt left its pulley at the top of the building. The workmen all proceeded up the steep stairs to replace the belt. This was carried out, but it is understood that the belt again left the pulley, and it was while ft was being replaced the second time that friction in the shaft suddenly ignited the sulphurous dust. Three of the workmen, J. Huggins, P. Phillips and L. Lockett, proceeded out on to the staging on the roof of the building, about 50 feet from the ground. One man jumped clear into a deposit of sulphur in the storeroom, from the top of the shaft, and was followed by two others, who had proceeded some distance dowm the ladder. Bovey and Gould, it appears, negotiated the stairs through the flames and sulphurous fumes to the ground, a distance of well over 40 feet. The former was severely burned when he emerged from the doorway at the foot of the elevator, portion of bis clothing being burned from his body. It was apparent then j that his condition was critical. Gould I was seriously burned, and after receiving treatment by their fellow work, men, the two injured men were placed jin an ambulance. Bovey died en route to hospital, and Gould was admitted to the institution in a serious condition. The three workmen who emerged on the staging at the top of the building were assisted to the ground by their fellow workmen with the aid of rope? and a ladder and were shaken by their experience. The three who jumped into the sulphur deposit were affected by the fumes, and one man received a burn on the hand. The Wanganui Fire .Brigade had a difficult task on account of the fumes, and several experienced trouble with their eyes and were treated by a doctor. o