Explosion Costs Youth His Eye

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 119, 10 August 1927, Page 9

Explosion Costs Youth His Eye

A TRAGIC MISHAP DETONATOR ON WIRELESS SET An electric detonator has cost a young man of 18, Sam Beresford, his left eye and probably the use of his left hand. The tragic accident is another proof of the danger of leaving detonators lying about where they can be found by people who are unaccustomed to using them. On Thursday evening Mr. Beresford fixed the detonator, which he thought was quite harmless, to a wireless set. It exploded in his hands with the force of a bursting tyre. The force of the explosion tore the palm and part of the wrist away from the left hand, almost to the bone, and the flying pieces of the detonator embedded themselves in both eyes and his face, which was terribly lacerated. His right hand was also badly cut. Mr. Beresford was employed in Rushton’s garage, Albert Street. He had been on duty in premises in Queen Street, after the sale of some motor-cars last week. While waiting for the carpenters to leave the building Mr. Beresford picked up an electric detonator on the floor. It was cased in. wood apd was only a few inches long, with two wires protruding from one end. That evening Mr. Beresford took the detonator home with him to 6 Esplanade Road. Mount Eden, where he is staying with Mr. R. H. Spinley. Unfortunately Mr. Beresford did not ask Mr. Spinley’s opinion of the detonator. He thought that it was a harmless electrical device, and that he would try it on his crystal set. Mr. Spinley would have told Mr. Beresford to be careful. There was a sudden explosion in the house and Mr. Beresford staggered- out of his room, blood streaming from his face and hands. Mr. Spinley immediately applied a tourniquet to Mr. Beresford’s left arm and hurried him away to the Auckland Hospital, where he is still a patient. The doctors have hopes of saving his left hand, but they cannot save the eye.