BURNT BY SULPHURIC ACID.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 10471, 8 September 1916, Page 5

BURNT BY SULPHURIC ACID.

(Per Press Association.) A 1 ( K LAND, Sept. 7. W bile watersides w ere handling drums of sulphuric acid on the steamer Monowai to-night one of the drums burst at, the bung, throwing Ihe acid in a stream for about. 20 leet. Rive of (he waters!.lers who were endeavouring to avoid the fumes slipped to tile deck, a.> did also a number ol others who rushed to (heir assistance. As a result, thirteen men were Intrniil by the acid, eight being now initiates of Ihe hospital, while five were trialled as out patient.-,. The men in the hospital were burned a. lion I liie body, live seriously. They inelii.lo Mela-an, chief otlieer of the Monowai. li.e remainder being waters!.lers. .McLean is not seriously injured. The most seriondv Injure.l are Conti-, a single man, and Ei l Iknei, who is married AUCKLAND, Sept. 8. By the explosion of .snlphmie acid on the Monowai, in addition to U. Ealkner and ,1. Contis (who arc very seriously injured), the victims included 0. Jones, aged 42. married, injuries to face, one eye, both arms, back, thigh and right leg; J. Anderson, 69, married, injuries to face and both eyes: 11. Barnes, 50, married, injuries to face and both eyes. The other three, ,1. Jones, J. Mitchell and McLean (chief otlieer of the Monowai), were lightly injured, while five men sustained minor injuries. The .Monowai. which had arrived from s.intliern ports early in the afternoon, brought am .mix her cargo three iron drums of sulphuric acid consigned Iron, Dunedin. These were sloi'.al on the fore deck. At 7 p.m. live waterside workers, including Kiilki.ee. the most seriously injured of the men. and Anderson, commenced to remove the drums from the vessel. One had 1h «ti moved ami tho men were* turning; Iho second one over to place the sling around it. when n exploded, the bung being blown out. There was an immediate emission of fumes and a stream of acid was ejected with great force a distance ot 20 leet. Live men were half blinded by the Rimes and iiastem d to retreat, but the acid flowing upon the deck made it- slippery and till fell in their ellorts to escape. Ihe acid qniekiv burned through their clothes wherever it touched and began to eat into their flesh, causing them to cry oul in agony, and hearing calls for assistance other waterside. workers and the ship’s officers hurried to the spot, where the. victims were rolling alnnn. in torture. Several would-be rescuers became sufferers, the slippvryness ol the deck causing them also to fall and be instant Iv attacked by the acid. The second officer of the Monowai, Uorbv, secured several buckets of salt water, winch be dashed over the injured men. and upon the spilled acid, and its application undoubtedly saved the injured men some pain. Gliief-ollieer Me Lean obtained a hose, intending to assist in the application of water, but he slipped and fell to the deck, sustaining burns about the right leg and foot. Some of those who sustained minor injuries only were able to walk oil' the steamer. They included rescuers burned about the handsEight men had to be removed to the hospital, and five were able to leave after receiving attention. The majority of the patients arrived at the hospital wrapped in nigs. All but Lalkner were able to walk. All are suffering severely from shock, and seveial had their eves badly burned,