STARTLING EXPLOSION

Taranaki Daily News, 21 November 1929, Page 10

STARTLING EXPLOSION

DETONATOR WRECKS GRATE DL’NEDJN WOMAN SERIOUSLY WOUNDS FROM FLYING METAL. " .' j By Telegraph.—frees Association! Dunedin, Last Night. A startling explosion in the fire wrecked the grate in Mr. R. P. Douglas’ home in Warden Street, Opoho, Mrs. Douglas being seriously injured by flying pieces of metal. .- <■ j About six o’clock in. the evening Mrs. Douglas was sitting, in front of a coal lire when there was. a deafening ex> plosion. The fire’ grate was completely blown out and Mrs. Douglas ’fell to the floor ■ with eight niore;. or less serj-. bus wounds in the head, and body. A doctor was summoned and it was fpjind that "the woman had four wounds' in the head, °ne under each- eye, and one bad one on the temple, three- in one arm and one very serjous one. in the leg, a substance of a coppery character, something like a piece of a detonator cap; having penetrated three-inches into the leg. / Mrs. Douglas is still confined to. her bed under a doctor’s care; Mr. Douglas said it wa,s impossible to say what the. exact nature of the explosive was, bus it was very dangerous. His wife had been badly hurt and might easily hav6 been killed, The ceiling and walls of the room suffered some minor dam* age and the' grate was blown out. Hi considered it was verjf unfair that useri of coal should be called upon to bear such a loss', but he supposed there was nothing that could he done' about it;