TERRIFIC EXPLOSION

Hokitika Guardian, 13 May 1933, Page 6

TERRIFIC EXPLOSION

FIFTY HOUSES RUINED

CHEMICAL WORKS DISASTER

About fifty houses in Mitcham/'the South London suburb humous lor its fair and its lavender, were wrecked, and scores of families were rendered homeless as the result of an explosion on March 30 at the synthetic chemical works of W. •). Bush and Company. The explosion caused havoc over a w'ide area, so that it appeared as" if Mitcham had been subjected to a bombardment. Effects of the upheaval were: One boy Thomas Andav, aged twelve,was killed; three men and a woman seriously injured; twenty-five slightly injured; about twenty houses were shattered and fifty others were seriously damaged. The dead hoy’s mother was among those taken to hospital. ' The cause of the explosion was vapour from a distillery tank in the yard. Methylated spirits are believed to have become ignited in some manner which is not known.

Three roads round the factory suffered the most damage. They consist almost entirely of workmen’s houses, and damage was caused not'only by the force of the explosion itself but also by pieces of the factory roof which were blown high into the air. For some seconds after the actual explosion pieces of debris rained on to the tiled root’s of the .cottages and into the streets, and slabs of tlie factory roofing was found two streets away.

ROOFS AND CEILINGS COLLAPSE Many houses collapsed almost completely. Roofs and ceilings were tom away and fell on to beds in which people were sleeping, and into rooms where others were working or having breakfast. Windows and doors, nnd even the frames, wore blown bodily into the streets Walls were destroyed and furniture wrecked.

Dozens of people were buried beneath the falling masonry and timber and surveyors and salvage officials who inspected the damaged buildings were astounded at the comparatively small casualty list. As soon as it was apparent that no more people were trapped beneath the wreckage of the houses, tlje work of salvage and relief was quickly coordinated. The Salvation Army rendered valuable help. The streets resembled those ,pf a town which had • heen subjected to an artillery bombardment. Broken glass, bricks, and asbesto sheeting from, the factory roof covered the roadway and great heaps of rubble had cascaded on to the pavements. Shop windows had been,blown in and goods displayed in them were scattered among the rubbish.

MANY ACTS OF HEROISM

Residents in the damaged streets related .many acts of heroism on the part of the injured and of their rescuers, while a particularly plucky: attempt was that of a. workman in the factory who tried t f> avert the explosion. .

■‘{Frank Caplin was the man who tried to do it,” a fellow workman stated. “He was working in the yard, and lie realised that there was too much steam coining from the distilleryHe tried to get on to the turncock, but the fumes were,too‘strong. Tbrhe times lie made the, effort, but each time, he 1 was half-choked. He went off to get a 'ras mask, but before he could do' so tho explosion happened.” The explosion was heard as far -as Camberwell—between six and eight miles a wav.

The services of the religious ’eaders were invaluable, and very striking was the mobilisation of the children—many of them babies—for breakfast in a mission hall. Other church buildings were thrown open, food supplies, were procured and replenished. “1 had some novel tasks,” remarked a mission worker. “Two of the babies bad lost their feeding bottles in wrecked homes, and 1 had to provide substitutes urgently. Then a woman cable to me in despair because her husband was without any. other useful clothing than a blanket. I managed to find him a pair of trousers.

TREK TO NEW QUARTERS

Meanwhile Mr W. Parr, the relieving officer had secured possession from the London County Council of the old Mpldorn Schools near by. This building was rapidly made available for the scores, of men, women and children who had lost their homes.

Then began the pathetic trek of the dispossessed to their new quarters, Firms all over the district rushed their vehicles to the area to aid in the, removal of furniture, and methodically, with policemen helping, tho contents of the wrecked homes were transferred. While this was being done, and vehicles were loaded with bedsteads, chairs, tables, clothing, boots, pictures and a host of other articles, women, young and old, were trudging away in advance. Some wheeled hamVartw that were loaded with their belongings; others used perambulators. The pathetic resignation' of the victims impressed one at cvey turn. Two women, evidently mother and daughter were . found arranging without delay their new home. It was a big room in the school, and they had already hung their pictures on the walls. “Looks more homelike now we’ve done that!” said tho mother simply.