FEARFUL EXPLOSION.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13000, 13 July 1935, Page 5

FEARFUL EXPLOSION.

SECOND EDITION

STANWAY HOUSE WRECKED. GELIGNITE IN OVEN Electric Telegraph— l ress Association FEILDING. Last Night. With terrible suddenness a terrific explosion wrecked the little bungalow home of Air Frank Cowdrey situated uii the Halcombe-Stanway load, ao about 7.30 o’clock yesterday morning, and the seven occupants, three adults and four little children, are now- in the Palmerston North Hospital. The occupants were : FRANK COWDREY, aged 32 years. AIRS COWDREY, aged 28 tears. MAURICE COWDREY, aged 9 tears BEVERLEY COWDREY, aged 0 years NITA COWDREY, aged 3 years. RAYAIOXD DAVIES, of Taumaiunui, younger brother of Airs Cowdrey ; aged' 9 years EDWIN ALBERT ROBINSON, of Ohakea, nephew of Mr Cowdrey, aged 18 y-ears. The sudden expansion of a number of sticks of gelignite placed in the oven by Air Cowdrey produced the detonation which resulted in the explosion aud in a flash the interior of the dwelling was a complete wreck. In the midst of the calamitous destruction Edwin Robinson, injured and slowly recovering from the stunned condition suffered from the blast of fury from the oven, pioeeeded to rescue the children and Air and Mrs Cowdrey, who tv ere sorely injured and more or less buried under the debris. Here and there the ruius were commencing to take fire, and with thoughts of a still greater disaster pressing upon him, he worked frantically to subdue the incipient fires as well as to get those more injured than himself out into the open. Very fortunately Air A Duncan, whose home is opposite that of Air Cowdrey, standing on the other side of the road and on higher country, heard the explosion and immediately went out to look down over Air Cowdrey’s property. The sight of the shattered homestead urged him to the scene and he quickly arrived on the spot to assist in the rescue w ork. and once tliis was accomplished, and the ruins apparently secure from fire, he departed to the home of Air T. R. Vile, a mile or so away, to telephone for doctors and the ambulance-. Aleanwhile Mr Rasmussen came on the scene and he assisted in making the injured as comfortable as ]>ossible. Other settlers, alarmed by the noise oil the explosion, quickly gathered to the scene, and everything possible was done to alleviate the sufferings of the injured until the arrival of Dr. G. Phillips of Feilding. who immediatelv took charge. Speeding on to the scene from Palmerston North were two ambulances. and with their arrival came Sergeant Angland aud Constable Gillard., oi Feilding. who found the patients as comfortable as the circumstances j <crm.it ted. bandaged and awaiting removal to the hospital. SERIOUS INJURIES. The hospital authorities reported last night as follows on the injuries suffered by the family: Frank Cowdrey: Fractured right arm. deep abrasions on right leg, fractured skull, scalp wounds, burns on lace, and shock. Condition verv senous. M r - Cowdrey: Burns on face amis, and right 1.-g. and bock. ConK : cri. u.s . Maurice Cowdrey: Burns, severe wound Oil right elbow, ebrasions. and shock. Condition serious. Aita Cowdrey: Bums on abdomen injuries to right knee. - arious abrasions. and shock. Condition serious. Beverley Cowdrey: Small burns on back arid right shoulder, and shock. Condition fair, Raymond Davies: Small abrasions, and shock. Condition fair. E. A. Robinson; Wounds on forehead. wrist and leg. Condition fair.