BLOWN TO ATOMS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 16 June 1920, Page 5

BLOWN TO ATOMS

A MOTHER AND CHILD EXPLOSION OF GELIGNITE IN A FARMER’S HOUSE (United Press Association) TAUMARUNUI, This Day. News of a frightful tragedy comes from Tatu, 20 miles beyond Ohura. From meagre details to hand, it appears that a charge o gelignite exploded in the bouse of F. England, a farmer, ;j Mrs England and a child were blown to, atoms and not a trace of. the child can be found. Miss Gilbert, sister-m-law > ot England, was also killed, being blown through a wall. _ The police and a justice oi the peace have gone out to hold an inquest. * . . , No further particulars are to hand. FURTHER PARTICULARS TAUMARUNUI, This Day. Reports concerning the gelignite explosion at Tatu are still vei.\ meagre and contradictory. iis only definite information the police have received is that the explosion of gelignite occiniei, but not how, and that Airs England, her infant son and Miss Lilburn were killed. Information received trom _ -an Ohura resident by telephone is to the effect that Mr England put ft nacket of gelignite in front of the fire to dry and went away to mil*, the cows.' An explosion occurred and it is thought that, perhaps the woman put the gelignite on the stove* Airs England was blown out of the back door and expired in a few minutes after the arrival of the doctor. . Miss«Lilburn was in a separate room when the Explosion occurred and her body and the infants’ were buried under the ruins of the house, which was practically wrecked. The stove was blown to pieces. The deceased were the only persons in -the house. The xplosipn occurrd between eight and nine o ( clock on Tuesday morning. The very frosty night on Monday probably made the gelignite exceptionally sensitive to heat.