GAS EXPLOSION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6832, 21 April 1890, Page 4

GAS EXPLOSION.

DAMAGE TO THE LYTTELTON GAS WOEKS.

(FROM OUR LTTTELTON CORRESPONDEN] Yesterday afternoon, at about 8.45 o'clock, the residents of Lyttelton were startled by a loud report, like the discharge of a heavy piece of artillery, followed almost immediately by the ringing of the firebell. The afternoon waa beautifully fine, and a large number of people were walking on the wharves and in the streets, and these at once hurried to where flames and smoke were seen issuing in immense volumes, close to the Gas Company's works, which are situated under the hill below the Sumner road, a few hundred feet away from the railway Btation. The Fire Brigade were soon out with their hoao and reel,°one party going round tho Sumner road and another along the road in front of the works. By this time the grass on the bank behind the building was on fire, the wood-work in the yard was also burning rapidly, and flames were every few seconds issuing from the top of the gasometer, which was down, and therefore empty. This clearly showed that the gasometer had burst, as of course at that time of day ib would ordinarily be nearly filled with gas— made during the day for use at night. When this fact became known people breathed more freely, 'for up to this time those not acquainted with the matter had been half inclined to think that an explosion might at any moment occur. There was, fortunately, no one on the premises at the time, but Mr Arnold, the manager of the works, who lives clo=-e by, was soon at hand, and his first act was TO SHUT OFF THE STJPPLT from the town, and then he closed the pipes which convey the gas from tne retorts through the purifiers into the gasometer. This done, the;flaines quickly subsided, and a3 the water was played on to the grass and buildings for a while, all Bign of fire soon disappeared. Upon examining the gasometer — as well as could be done from its position — a large hole was found in tbe side and upper edge close to the bank behind. From the statements of several persons in the crowd, it appears that a Jarge stone was seen to come down the hill across the Sumner road, and down the bank into the works. STATEMENT OP AN EYE-WITNESS. A gentleman who watched the whole proceedings gave me the following account of what he saw : — " I was standing on the wharf when my attention was directed to some horses galloping on the hill behind Mr Nalder's house. On looking up, I saw a large stone coining dovn the hill at a terrible rate a few yards above them, while at the same time I observed some men going over the hill. The stone gathered way as it came down the hill, and, continning its course through Mr Nalder's garden, came with a terrific crash on to the Sumner road, and then smashed through the fence and down the few hundred feet of bank behind the gasworks. I then lost sight of it, and at the same instant heird a report like the discharge of a gun, which was followed, in les3 time than it takes to tell, by a huge volume of black smoke, and then by flames, the latter rising to considerably over one hundred feet in height. There were two large flames, the first being much higher than the second, and after that a more Bteady blaze was kept up for a little while. HOW THE GAS WAS LIGHTED. The gas from tbe gasometer escaping through tbe hole made by the atone, rushed through the purifying-room, and then iuto the retort-room where the furnaces are kept going. Here the blaze from the furnaces lighted it, and of course caused the explosion of the whole of tho gas in the gasometer. The man who was on duty was fortunately away at dinner. The works were insured in the Liverpool and London and Globe Insurance Company for JB2OOO. Of course no gas will be available to light the town to-night, but tbe Directors of the Company intend to take immediate ste^s to have the gasometer repaired. The stone which did all the damage, smashed right through the gasometer, and is now inside of it. Besides the hole madein the plates, which areabout the sixteenth of an inch thick, there is a dent about eitrht or nine feet long, which will have to be straightened out. There were about .12,500 ft of gas m the gasometer at the time of the explosion. THREE MEN ARRESTED. Following up the statement that some men had been seen close to where the stone started, Sergeant O'Malley sent Constable Jil'Cormack around the Sumner road, and he arrested Edward Orpin, aged thirty-three; George Menzies, aged seventeen ; aud F. C. Page, aged seventeen ; ail of whom are seamen on board the barque Ivanhoe. They admitted having started Che stone, but stated that it was set rolling accidentally by one of them resting his back against it. Thoy will be brought up at the Ji.M. Court to-day. The result of this action might easily havo been even worse than it was, for it iB astonishing that; tho stone missed striking one of the houses on the road.