YOUTH’S TRAGIC DEATH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 4404, 13 October 1934, Page 1

YOUTH’S TRAGIC DEATH.

INSIDE MARINE BOILER

Auckland, Yesterday.

Trapped among the tubes and stays of a marine boiler, a young apprentice was burned to death when his clothing caught lire this afternoon. The youth, Stuart Simpson, aged 17, was working in the boiler, which stands in the yard of his employers, Mason Bros.’ Engineering Co., Ltd., Freeman’s Bay. A brave attempt at rescue by G. 11. Mason was unsuccessful. Mason suffered bums on both arms and managed to escape from the boiler when he was almost overcome by tlie fumes and heat. Simpson lived at Herne Bay.

The boiler was used as a storage tank for oxygen. The manhole in the top of the boiler was opened to-day and one of the engineers, George Franklin, and Simpson entered to lay sacks about the inside to facilitate inspection.

They had no light with them, and it is presumed that Simpson struck a match to see where to place the sacks. Without warning, there came a burst of fire from where the apprentice was standing, and the flames reached up to Franklin near the top of the boiler. He immediately clambered out the top and down the ladder in search of a bucket of water, and called for help. An effort was made to recover the body. Owing to the fumes inside the boiler, however, it was impossible for anyone to enter, and another man-hole near the bottom, secured with heavy dogs, was opened and compressed air circulated for some time. Finally one of the staff climbed down from the top and tied a rope about the body, which was drawn up and through the man-hole.

Mr Mason said later that, although the oxygen itself was not inflammable, anything set alight in a container in which traces of oxygen still remained would burn much more fiercely than if in an ordinary atmosphere. There was little doubt that the youth was dead almost as soon as his clothing caught fire.