Serious Gas Explosion.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 6258, 3 July 1890, Page 2

Serious Gas Explosion.

(Br Telegraph.)

WELLINGTON, Juit 2.

About 8.30 this evening, Messrs Cato and McLennan, accountants, entered the strong room of the National Bank, Lambton Quay, and struck a light. A violent explosion followed, ’and Cato was knocked down, while McLennan was severely burnt about the face'. Exactly opposite the strong room is the-* entrance to the bank, and the plate glass in the inner door was shivered to fragments, and the heavy double outer doors torn off their hinges and thrown upon the pavement in a shattered condition. There were three windows in y the front wall belonging to rooms of which the doors happened to be opened, and the plate glass in these windows was also shivered into small pieces and hurled across the roadway which they covered for yards. The Venetian blinds were torn up, and in one instance entirely thrown out into the street in the shape of matchwood, and considering that they were in a direct lino of the explosion powerful enough to smash up »

double aot of doors 60 feet away, Cato and McLennan bad a wonderful escape of their lives. No damage was done in the bankroom itself, through which the whole of the blast passed; except that two lamp globes were broken, and little in the store-room beyond blackening and slightly charring the books and documents. Some injury was caused by water. On examinatim it was found that one of the gas pipes had a large hole in it. Strange to say no one appeared to be passing the bank at the time, though the street it is in is one of the principal thoroughfares in the city; otherwise they could scarcely have escaped serious injury from the shower of glass and wood. The bank is exactly in front of the tram crossing, but no cars were there at the timeTHIS DAY, The damage to glass and building by the explosion is estimated at under £IOO The glass is insured for £SO in the South British and the other damage is covered by a policy in the South British and Standard offices. The strong room is uninjured, but some of the bank’s papers are burnt, but the manager states none are of importance. McLennan and Cato are progressing favourably. Business is being carried on in the building as usual today.