WANGANUI.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 688, 6 May 1879, Page 2

WANGANUI.

This Day. Just after one o'clock yesterday, the multitubular boiler used at Duncan & York's sash and door factory exploded with a fearful force, killing the engineer, John Nixon, and wounding several perBons who were m close proximity. The boiler m question was a very old one, but how old could not be ascertained. It was fixed close to 'the factory. Work had just commenced m the fsctory when the explosion took place. The shattered boiler was thrown to the top of the high! ground. The enginehouse was completely wrecked, not two pieces of , timber remaining together, while the side of the factory was blown m. The unfortunate engineer was found thrown across a pile of timber, horribly mangled. One side of his head had been completely torn away. Several men were injured, and the escape of many others was miraculous. Had the boiler been thrown on to bhe factory the whole structure must have come down, destroying a numbed. of men employed inside. Most of these had been sitting round the boiler only a few minutes before, but had resumed work at.l o'clook. - ; The boiler was thrown oh to a place were usually a number of children play about, but fortunately they had been called inside the house just previously. The victim of this sad event is a married man with a family, and the only bright spot in.the story is that Nixon had paid the nenewal on his polioy of insurance with the Australian Mutual Society this very day during his dinner hour. He had not long returned from doing so before the accident happened. He was seen oiling the engine abdut a minute before the explosion «cauaed his death.

Various conjectures have been hazarded as to the cause of the accident. It is supposed that the ;Water v having, got too low, a sudden influx of cold water caused the explosion. It is remarkable that the proprietors of the factory wereabout putting down a new boiller and tha bricks were on the ground for setting it. -::.5...