UNCANNY EXPERIENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27274, 28 December 1949, Page 4

UNCANNY EXPERIENCE

Fireball Flies Across Room Nelson Family Startled PA NELSON, Dec.* 27. New Zealand’s most novel—and terrifying—Christmas present was delivered on Christmas Day in the farmhouse of Mr E. J. Bartlett, at Appleby Township, 12 miles from Nelson. It was a fireball which appeared in the kitchen just as the seven people in the house were sitting down to tea at 5.45 p.m. An electrical storm had been in progress in the vicinity during the day and was passing overhead as the members- of the household assembled for the evening meal. Suddenly, there was a bright flash and an explosion over the telephone in the hall. At the same time, a ball of fire entered the kitchen, travelled across the tea table midway between the table and the ceiling. The fireball appeared to pause momentarily over one of the children seated at the table and then disappeared with a loud report. ' Almost immediately, there was a heavy thunderclap directly over the house. The wallpaper above the telephone was discoloured by smoke and the telephone fuse was blown by the explosion. “ Everyone was dumbfounded by the uncanny happening. I would say the fireball, which was whitish in colour, was larger than an electric light globe,” said one member of the household today.