EXPLOSION AT MOTUROA QUARRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 196, 14 September 1900, Page 2

EXPLOSION AT MOTUROA QUARRY.

Abobt half-past eight on Thursday mornicg, three men named 11. Bayley, J. Fitches, and H, Wade received severe injuries by the unexpected discharge of blasting powder which they were endeavouring to withdraw owing to its having missed fire the previous day. The force of the explosion naturally split up and scattered a large quantity of stone, and as the men had no time to get away it was miraculous how they escaped being smashed to pieces. One of the men when thrown down saw a piece of stone of about 9 tons weight rolling towards him but kept quite still, and fortunately the huge mass missed him, by a few inches only, or he would have been crushed out of recognition. All the men were severely knocked about and much burnt in the face, one having a gash in his head and another receiving an injury to his left eye. Dr. McOleland was telephoned for and was on the spot in about a quarter of an hour. He at once set to work to ascertain the nature of the injuries and to dress the) wounds, none of which, we are glad to learn, are of such a nature as to cause: apprehension, as may be judged from the fact that aot any of the cases were sent to the hospital. On inquiry in the evening, we learnt that all the sufferers were progressing favourably.