WARE EXPLOSIVES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 746, 20 August 1929, Page 8

WARE EXPLOSIVES

Sir, —- “The sticks of explosive were soaking Wet, and in that state quite harmless, but when placed in the oven thev would have dried and exploded." This extract from your telegram from Christchurch dealing with explosives found in coal attracted my attention on Tuesday evening. May I. as a layman, sound a note of warning to your readers? Soaking wet sticks of explosive are by no means harmless. Some years ago I came across two sticks in that condition, and handed them in at the local police station where my fears'were scoffed at. An officer decided to bury them in the yard, and was doing so when they exploded with terrific violence and blew the police flower garden on to the roof of a neighbouring hotel. By q* miracle the constable escaped injury. I may add that subsequent inquiries on my part disclosed the fact that such explosives become increasingly “touchy” as they deteriorate through age and exposure. Therefore ‘soaking wet” sticks found in coal may be more dangerous than new explosive. I would advise householders unfortunate enough to find explosive in their coal to handle it with extreme care and communicate once with the agents, whose duty <t would be to dispose of it in the proper way. OUNCE OF CAUTION.