STARTLING EXPLOSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1916, Page 7

STARTLING EXPLOSION.

A COTTAGE DAMAGED. INCIPIENT FIRE CAUSED [_ A startling explosion, attended by an , incipient fire, occurred in a five-roomed ° cottage situated near the Carrington " Road entrance to Pukekura Park at sin '_ o'clock yesterday morning. Tlk New Plymouth Volunteer Fire P«rigade was •; summoned, and it quickly suppressed 1 the outbreak, ■' The sharp report of the explosion wao ' heard at a considerable distance from the house, and it awakened ik.-.uv people ■; in the vicinity from their -'..-, p. Considerable damage, which was con- ' fined to the bedroom at the south side ; of the house in. which'the explosion occurred, was done by the force of the concussion. The ceiling was wrenched from 1 its joints and was lifted several inches. * The south wall was blown out of plumb 1 and the bay window and the door of 3 the room were shattered. ' The house was unoccupied at the time J It had been owned by Mr. M. J. Jon-es. fc a member of the New Zealand Tunnell--1 ing Corps who is now an invalid at the ' Rotorua Sanatorium, for the past eight ■ years. Mrs'. Jones had occupied the J house until Monday. The premises were recently bought by Mr. J. Travis, a recent arrival, and lie was to have taken occupation yesterday, ' '■ Mr Travis, a relative of his and Mrs. - Jones visited the cottage on Monday 1 evening, and went away about half-past : 1 nine. Everything was left in order. A i quantity of Mrs. Jones' furniture re--3 mained in the house. The premises are , .insured in the Imperial office, for £3OO. i There has been much conjecture as to - the cause of the explosion, and there is t a diversity of opinion on the point. Ths t house Wits connected with the gas ser--3 vice, but the meter was removed some f time ago. When the tap was turned on - and a match was applied to a ring yes t terday, gag issued from the pipe and . burned. The seat of the explosion seem . ed to be in a recess in the room through t which a gas pipe passed. The indiea . tions in the room are consistent with the . theory that the explosion was caused bj t gas. Whether this theory is correct can- » not be definitely stated, f The superintendent of the Fire Bri gade (Mr. F. C. J. Bcllringeri and Plair. ' e Clothes' Constable Fitzgibbon are eo „ operating in their investigations to asJ certain the cause of the explosion.