BENZINE EXPLOSION ON BOARD A SCHOONER

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 11865, 20 February 1907, Page 3

BENZINE EXPLOSION ON BOARD A SCHOONER

fatal results vesselTdestroyed Received Feb 19, 10.33 p.td Cooktown, Feb 19 Three hundred and forty cases of benzine aboard the schooner Papuan, for transfer to New Guinea, axploded last night yflth a terrific roar. The town was instantly awakBned, and the people thought an Barthquake had occurred. The Papuan caught fire, and the glare lit f the harbor for a great distance. The flames spread rapidly, and the vessel e?as soon enveloped. The efforts of ;he firemen were directed to saving ;he wharfs. By four o'clock in tbe norning* the Papuan was burnt to ;he water's edge,- but canisters of Denzine continued to burn long after :he vessel was destroyed. It is believed that the explosion was caused 3y natives going below with lighted pipes, and that the fumes were thus ignited. Martin, the steward, and ihree New Guinea boys were aboard it the time of the disaster. Martin succeeded in escaping to the wharf, severely injured, and one of the New Guinea beys was found under the jvharf, where he was thrown by the : orce of the explosion, and his inuries are likely to prove fatal. Two )ther natives on the vessel were jlown to pieces, he Papuan was injured for £3500.