CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1856, 17 June 1887, Page 22

CASUALTIES.

An explosion of gas occurred in the Supreme, Court buildings on Friday afternoon between 4 and 5 o'clock; The explosion, though a rather severe one, fortunately caused no great damage. It appears that one of the corporation employes was exploring in the vicinity of the meter ■ for a supposed leak. He took out a plug from the main, and the gas rushing out was ignited by a candle he was carrying, thereby causing the explosion, The man was a good deal burned about the face, and Messrs M'Akster and Hunter, who ' accompanied him, also received a scorching. Mr . Hunter was rather severely burned about the face. As the ship Oamaru was sailing into the Oamaru harbour on Friday, an ' apprentice named Earnshaw fell from the rigging and was killed. His back was broken. News has just been received of a sad accident at Tologa Bay. A boat, with Mrs Kirk and three children as passengers, was landing from the s.s. Australia, when it capsized. Another boat from shore went to the rescue, and this boat also capsized and the occupants were drowned. They were Constable Stagpoole, two Natives, and Mr J. J. James. A. telegram received in Wellington on Saturday morning by Mr Stagpoole, father of the supposed drowned man, states that it is believed he was picked up by the s learner Australia. Stagpoole is known to be a strong swimmer. A three-roomed cottage in Bradshaw street, South Dunedin, was destroyed by fire on Sunday afternoon. It was owned by Mr Connor and occupied by Mr Cutter. The latter had a narrow escape, as he was asleep at the time of the outbreak, and on awaking was nearly suffocated' He lost nearly all his furniture, which was not insured. The next house, owned and occupied by Mr Gibson, was saved by the exertions of the South Dunedin Fire Brigade, who were very quickly on the scene, considering that they had to .drag their plant fully half-a-mije, no horse being available. Mr Gibson's furqiture, which, was also uninsured, suffered by removal. The insurances on the building destroyed have not been ascertained. A serious accident occured at Port Chalmers on Saturday morning,, by which a veryold resident of the town sustained a fracture of , his right leg. It appears that the person in. question (Alfred Larkins) had been engaged to assist in discharging, timber from the s.s. Kakanui at the head of the graving dock; a large • iron buoy was in the way, and Larkins was' assisting to reraove.it, when the chain, slipped ' and the buoy rolled over him, crushing the leg below the knee, He was conveyed to the upper ■ station and thence to town by the 9.11, a,m train, after being attondfil to by Dr Cunningham, who advised his immediate removal to the hospital. The dootor accompanied his patient to the hospital, where it was found necessary to amputate the leg. A fire broke out on the 7th inst. on the Keith Hall Farm, East Taieri, the property of Mr William' Sbfind. The old Keith Hall house was totally burnt, and only the four chimneys left standing.. The fire .commenced between- 4 and 5 a.m., and was not seen by Mr Shand until the roof had partly fallen. The building was

partly , used as a granary, and contained a quantity of oats and wheat, and machinery of all sorts.' li was also, used as a dairy and cheese factory, and a fire was used for heating purposes in a portion of the building. From this it is thought the fife ' occurred, but nothing definite is' known. The 'loss is partly covered by insurance on the house, but there is nothing on the contents, and Mr Shand is a heavyJoser.