PANIC IN TENEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18275, 16 December 1922, Page 2 (Supplement)

PANIC IN TENEMENT.

A STARTLING EXPLOSION.

Soveral people had remarkable escapes from death or serious injury in a gas explosion at Selby, Yorks, which wrecked a clothier's shop and part of a tenement above. While one woman was washing parts of the floor were blown away, and two of her children nealry fell through the hole. The ceiling of the shop fell, and a girl employee was grazed by a largo piece of plaster. It is thought that the explosion was caused by rats or mice having eaten through a gaspipe.

Tho explosion occurred about noon, and immediately afterwards women raced out of the tenements abovo tho clothing store. Mrs. Jack Mills, who was washing towels in a bowl on the kitchen table opposite the back window, and her two children, who were playing with a ball, had very narrow escapes.

She stated that flames shot up to tho room ceiling, and tine room floor flew upwards as a terrific roar shook the building, tho glas3 in windows apposite being smashed to atoms. She screamed, and, looking round, saw her children luckily on the hearthrug on tho edge of a gaping hole in the floor. She grabbed - them and raced down to the street below.

" I was dazed and almost shaken to pieces," she said. " Arthur, my baby, only a minute before was sitting on the floor right where the flames burst out, and would have been blown to bits.

Mrs. Matthews, living in a flat above that occupied by Mrs. Mills, said: " was cleaning the fireplace when the explosion took place. It rolled me clean over. I heard Mrs. Mills screaming, but was so dazed that I could not realise what had happened.

Amy Hazelwood, shop assistant,, said: "I was standing near Mr. A. S. Wilson, our manager, who was cutting up some silk, when I saw a blue flame, and heard a terrifying scream, and then down came the room ceiling with a terrific report.

"One large piece of plaster knocked my hair down my back, grazing my neck. I staggered to the door and shouted to Police-Constable Sharpley, who was on point duty: ' Come quick! The shop is on fire ! ' ''

Mr. Wilson said: "I thought my last day had come. There" was a blazo of fire,, then a terrific explosion and t"ie ceiling was blown down.

" I managed to get to the gas meter, which I turned off and prevented a serious fire. How Miss Hazelwood and 1 got away without injury is marvellous.