SULPHUR DUST IGNITES

Southland Times, Issue 23182, 24 April 1937, Page 8

SULPHUR DUST IGNITES

FIRE AT CHEMICAL WORKS ONE WORKMAN SUCCUMBS (United Press Association) WANGANUI, April 23. One workman lost his life, another received serious burns, and six others were affected by fumes when the sulphur dust in an elavator shaft at Kempthorne and Prosser’s chemical works at Aramoho became accidentally ignited this morning. The man who lost his life was John Oscar Bovey, aged 48 years, of 46 Durie Street, Durie Hill. He was a married man with four children George Gould, who resides at Trafalgar House, was severely burned and taken to the Wanganui Hospital, where he is reported to be progressing favourably. The other workmen who suffered from the effects of the sulphurous fumes, but were able to proceed to their homes, were: Messrs L. Lockett, of Springvale Road, M. McKenna, of 9 Tanguru Street, Wanganui East, J. Penn, of 19 Alexander Street, J. Huggins, of 218 Heads Road, B. Phillips, of 101 Campbell Street and A. Witt, of 54 Jones Street, Wanganui East. It appears that the eight workmen were engaged at the bottom of tire elevator which conveys the sulphur from the trucks to the storerooms when the elevator belt left its pulley at the top of the building. The workmen all proceeded up the steep stairs to replace the belt. This was carried out but, it is understood that the belt again left the pulley, and it was while it was being replaced the second time that the friction in the shaft suddenly ignited the sulphurous dust. Three of the workmen, J. Huggins, P. Phillips and L. Lockett, proceeded out on to staging on the roof of the building, about 50 feet from the ground. One man jumped clear into the deposit of sulphur in the storeroom from the top of the shaft and was followed by two others who had proceeded some distance down the ladder. Bovey and Gould, it appears, negotiated the stairs through the sulphurous fumes to the ground, a distance of well over. 40 feet. The former was severely burned when he emerged from the doorway at the foot of the elevator, portion of his clothing being burned from his body. It was apparent then that his condition was critical, Gould

was seriously burned and, after receiving treatment by their fellow workmen, the two injured men were placed in the ambulance. Bovey died en route to the hospital and Gould was admitted to the institution in a serious condition. The three workmen who emerged on the staging at the top of the building were assisted to the ground by their fellow workmen with the aid of ropes and a ladder. They were shaken by their experience. The three men who jumped into the sulphur deposit were affected by the fum.es and one man received a burn on his hand. The Wanganui Fire Brigade had a difficult task because of the' fumes, and several experienced trouble with their eyes and were treated by a doctor.