EXPLOSION IN HOSPITAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20263, 24 May 1929, Page 13

EXPLOSION IN HOSPITAL.

THEATRE ALMOST WRECKED.

REINFORCED FLOOR LIFTED.

A violent explosion occurred in the operating theatre at the Spencer Hospital, Wynyard, Tasmania, recently. The theatre had been used during the night for an operation, and in tho morning the instru ments were being sterilised and tho room cleaned. A patent steriliser in which petrol was being burned had been lighted by tho acting-matron, and after watching it for a few minutes she turned to walk out of tho theatre. She had barely left the room when there was a terrific explosion, and, turning, she saw Sayward, the yardman, who had been attending to his duties, lying on the floor, and tho theatre practically wrecked. The reinforced concrete floor "was lifted bodily about six inches, and solid brick and plaster walls were cracked through their entire thickness, while windows were shattered and broken bottles and instruments were lying all over the floor. Neither the matron nor the yardman was injured, though the latter was severely shaken. No leakage could be found from the steriliser. It is presumed that fumes from a leakage in the system caused the explosion.