BLASTING POWDER IGNITED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 1 September 1945, Page 5

BLASTING POWDER IGNITED

FOUR PEOPLE SEVERELY BURNED Dunedin, Aug. 30. As the result of an explosion of blunting powder in a slu'd on the properly «>U Mr. Douglas Ewing. Totura, North Otago, yesterdav afternoon, four persons were severely burned. Three of those injured are patients in the Oumuru Public Hospital, where they are reported to be progressing satisfactorily. The injured were Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Ewing. Mr. Ross Domigun and Me. Sam Robinson. The last named was permitted to return home, but was required at the hospital today for fur The four injured were picking up potatf>ps on tiie farm on Wednesday when a heavv thunderstorm occurred and they took shelter from the ruin in the shed. The sequence of events which followed Is u matter of some uncertainty. It "’as at first staled (lint Mr. Dontigau had lit a cigarette and that ill* match was thrown into a corner of I he. shed wheiT there was (ilb. of blasting powder which had been lying there for many years, having been placed there by the previous owner of the property. This report was subsequent 1 y discounted. and it was stated that shortly after the cigaref.te had been lit there was a blinding Hash of lightning, followed immediately I».\ a loud explosion which filled the shed with Humes, lifted Ihe roof and blew (iff the top boards of the sides. The four occupants of the shed were enveloped in Hnniea. Their faces and hands were burnt and their hair and clothes caught lire. They immediately rolled out of the wrecked shed and extinguished their burning clothing and hair.

They lost no time in selling out by car, driven b.v Mr Ewing, for the Oumuru Public Hospital,, where they received prompt treatment.