AWFUL EXPLOSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10836, 20 August 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

AWFUL EXPLOSION.

SHOCKING AFFAIR AT THE ALBERT DOCKS. An explosion of cartridges occurred on July 6 in the 'tween decks of the steamship Manitoba, belonging to the Atlantic Transport line, and lying at No. 22 berth, Albert Dock, Tilbury, resulting in the death of five men and the more or less serious injury of five others. So far the cause of the disaster remains unexplained, but the facts of the occurrence are these:—Among other merchandise which the Manitoba brought from New York on her last trip were 20 cases marked " safety cartridges." They were consigned to a firm' in Buenos Ayres, and were brought on to Loudon for trans-shipment. The cases, each weighing a hundredweight, were stowed for security in the baggage-room, which is, or rather was, situated in the 'tween decks just abaft the No. 3 hatch. Each sase contained a number of smaller ones, the cartridges numbering several hundreds. By a quarter past ten on the 6th July, 17 of the 20 cases had been safely slung in baskets and put over the side. Fivo minutes later the remaining three were ready to be hoisted, when tho last one exploded with a terrific roar. Thcro were 10 men standing round the slings at tho time, and of these William Connors : wag instantly killed, while in several instances the injuries were of an indescribably dreadful character. Considering the smallness of the area in which the men were working it is a marvel that every man of the 10 was not blown to pieces. Henry Webb, one of the dock officials of tho company, was an eye-witness of the occurrence. Ho told the following story:— "At about twenty minutes past ten I went up to No. 3 hatch to speak to the men about slinging some lifts. As I was shouting to them, they dragged a basket out of the door of the baggage-room, and left the hooks in the beckcts. Just as one of the men was lifting the last case of cartridges into the basket, there was a fizzing sound, a good deal like that caused by an ignited box of matches. The hext moment I fell back, halfstunned by the upward rush of air following a terrific explosion. When I looked about me I saw Porter lying on the deck. Telling someone to look after him, I went down No. 4, through the smoke, and saw Merriott. He was sitting up on the hatch, close to the coamings. I passed him and stepped over Connors, who was lying face downwards near what had been the baggage-rooin. Tilley was lying athwart-ships, close to where the door had been, and Cox was spread out on the orlop deck. The explosion had blown the baggage-room bulkheads to matchwood, while the ship herself was uninjured. With other's I helped to get the poor fellows up and over the side. Connors, however, died before lie crossed the rail. He was shockingly injured, and so was Chattaway and the man we call 'Tilley.'" , On inquiry at the Canning Town branch of the Seamen's Hospital, where the injured men were taken, it was found that Chattaway and Woodlams died soon after admittance,' and that later in the day Merriott and Philpott also succumbed to their injuries. Mr. Williams, of the firm of Williams, Torrey, and Field,, Limited, the owners of the Manitoba said he was utterly at a loss to account for the accident, unless it was caused by careless packing. An examination of the hold after the explosion revealed hundreds of copper" primers" or percussion caps, which had evidently been blown out of the shattered case.