MOTORISTS’ NARROW ESCAPE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20870, 9 November 1929, Page 14

MOTORISTS’ NARROW ESCAPE

AN UNEXPECTED EXPLOSION. j WORKMEN’S ALLEGED NEGLIGENCE. In an accident which occurred on the Main North road on Tuesday of last week under circumstances of an unusual nature the two occupants of a flve-seatcr Rugby sedan motor car—Mr C. Bezar, a commercial traveller, of Christchurch, and his daughter—had an almost miraculous escape from injury. Miss Bezar was driving the car through a cutting on'the Kartigi road in the vicinity of the overhead bridges when, without warning, a charge which had been laid in the side of the road during blasting operations exploded about 8 or 10 feet from the vehicle, smashing the windows on one side of the car and filling the rear portion with stones and debris. Fortunately the rear seat was unoccupied, but glass showered over. Miss Bezar, who was also struck by a stone, and it was only by presence of mind that she was able to bring the car to a standstill without striking the bank, though the vehicle was slewed round by the force of the explosion. Mr Bezar was unhurt, and Miss Bezar’s in juries, were of a minor nature, though she suffered from shock. The car was brought to Dunedin under its own power and was taken to a garage, where it remained for some days while repairs were effected. Even more fortunate than Mr Bezar and his daughter were two ladies whom they were to pick up in Oamaru and bring to Dunedin. When Mr Bezar called they were not at home, and he decided to continue his journey without them. Had they made the journey they would have occupied the rear seat, and as it was this portion of the car which was most extensively' damaged the consequences might have been very serious. The blasting operations were being carried out by Public Works employees, and it is alleged by Mr Bezar that no man was stationed on the road to hold up approaching traffic, though this is the usual practice. He states that he had no warning that an explosion was likely to take place. He has made a' claim against the Public Works Department amounting, it is stated, to £BO for damage to the car, as well as further claim, for loss of time on account of -the fact that he was delayed for some days in Dunedin. A statement that the department had accepted responsibility for the accident and was meeting the claims made by Mr Bezar was denied by the district engineer (Mr T. M. Ball) yesterday. He stated- that the matter had been reported to him by Mr Bezar and that inquiries were being made. Three men were working in the cutting at the time, and when the shot was laid one man went to the Dunedin side to stop traffic, and the other two went to the northern side. Apparently the car inadvertently got past ■ them. There was a red flag on either side of the explosion to warn traffic that there was danger ahead, but the flag on the north side might not have been held by an employee at the time the car went past. The matter was under consideration, and inquiries were being made as to what actually did happen. The department had not admitted any negligence.