Tragic Explosion in Chemical Work

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 91, 5 July 1930, Page 5

Tragic Explosion in Chemical Work

All were the employees of the Chemical Works of Hickson’s Ltd. {it Castlcford near Leeds. ’Hie explosion blew John Morris, who- was. walking along the, bank into the river arid drowned him. It raged the nitration building to the ground. The killed -include Frank Hodgson whose, brother was killed in the explosion tat the same works in 1926. The; scene covens eight acres containing eight chemical plants which present the appearance of a devastated area during wartime in Franco.

Eleven Killed, wenty injured. Scene of Devastation. (Press Association, Copyright). (Received 10.25 a.in.) LONDON, J uly. 4. . ' Heralded by a pall of yellow fumes, due to a tire in the middle of the works, which hung over a nilrotioii plant, a huge sheet of flame was followed by a. terrific explosion and several minor ones in which eleven were killed and twenty injured.

Many people .were injured by flying glass from the windows. Debris was scattered over the town for a iradius of two miles. 'i’ho explosion is believed to have originated in the nitric acid mixer the contents of which caught fire, bursting the boiler. The reverberatfon was felt in a town three miles away. Tliero were many harrowing sights as the injured were rescued.