UNUSUAL EXPLOSIONS OCCUR

Taranaki Daily News, 29 July 1929, Page 9

UNUSUAL EXPLOSIONS OCCUR

THROUGH COAL, BENZINE AND GAS. GIRL SUSTAINS SEVERE BURNS. ’ (By Wire—Special to News.) Auckland, July 27. Three cases of unusual explosions arc reported to-day. An expolsion occurred at the Waihi municipal abattoirs last evening. Subsequent to the placing of some coal in the furnace at the hot water plant the front portion of a brick chimney was blown out and the upper portion was cracked. Tiie manager, Mr. C. Higgs, states the coal was put on the furnace just before he left the works. Later he heard the noise of an explosion when he was at his house, but owing to the fact that explosions are common in Waihi in connection with mining operations he took no notice. It was nt until this morning that he discovered the da<nage. The opinion is expressed that the coal contained a plug or more of gelignite, as the explosion was a severe one. The explosion of a benzine iron caused a commotion in the Star and Garter Hotel at Coromandel last evening; A lady was engaged in ironing when the benzine flared up owing to a leak. She placed the lamp alight in the fireplace and its explosion wrecked the grate, dislodged the mantelpiece and broke a large window opposite. No one was hurt.

Severe burns to the face and hands were sustained by Miss Olivo Lee, aged 19, through an explosion in a gas stove. Miss Leo was lighting an oven at her homo at 82 Brown Street, Ponsonby, this afternoon when gas which had escaped through one of the taps exploded. Sho was taken to tho hospital.