SERIOUS GAS EXPLOSION AT GLASGOW.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 20, 15 May 1876, Page 2

SERIOUS GAS EXPLOSION AT GLASGOW.

The following account will have an especial interest at the present time :—" On Saturday afternoon (says the " Scotsman " of the 11th March) a gas explosion of ah alarming nature, and accompanied with serious results, occurred in the east end of Glasgow. In consequence of alterations which had been made in Market-street, a number of men in the employment of the Gas Corporation were during the day engaged renewing the branches and repairing the connection of the gas-pipes. Whether from the extra pressure.- on the tube or not, a crack had apparently been made in the pipe which was laid under the house No. 45 Market-street, the ground floor of which is occupied by a shoemaker named William Turnbull. About one o'clock Turnbull, who worked in one of the rooms, , felt an unusually strong smell of gas, and some of the workmen outside having been called in, they came to the conclusion, after an examination, that gas was escaping from some of the pipes leading to the dwelling. One of the flagstones of the pavement was lifted, arid -for the purpose of ascertaining the' particular locale of the breach* in'-the pipe, one of'the 'men, Duncan Kennedy, drew a light along it; and instantly'an explosion occurred. Not anticipating., anything serious, tiie men had gathered . r6imd the hole, and by the force of the explosion tliey were hurled with considerable force'iif .all directions. Tiie Avindows of the 'adjsicaft house were completely smashed, and on the'neighbours, who had rushed out on hearing the report of the explosion, entering Turnbull's apartments, the flooring was discovered to be torn up and shattered, while the unfortunate tenant was found lying in his room in an abnost insensible condition. Dr. M'Carron, on examining Turnbull, found that the right leg was severely fractured, the chest injured, and bruises had been'sustained about other parts of his person. He was removed to the Royal Infirmary, where he lingered in great pain until Sunday forenoon, when he died. Of the other sufferers, Mrs. Turnbull was found to .have got her left thigh much injured, while tiie workmen were cut, .bruised, and burned about the face, head, Said hands."