CHANGE OF WIND SAVED HAMBURG.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18469, 22 May 1928, Page 9

CHANGE OF WIND SAVED HAMBURG.

ENOUGH POISON GAS LET LOOSE TO WIPE OUT WHOLE ARMY. (United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph.—-Copyright.) (Received May 22, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 21. The Hamburg explosion, which was not loud and not destructive, was immediately followed by a great volume of death-dealing fumes, spreading over the city. Police and firemen, aided by ammonia, heroicailv struggled to rescue citizens. Nine collapsed and died. While the fate of a great portion of the city was hanging in the balance, the situation was saved by a merciful change of wind, which veered in such a manner as to blow the gas towards an isolated neighbourhood.

Heavy rainfall also helped to disperse the gas, but the danger was not considered past until this morning. Had the wind changed to the opposite direction, towards the congested parts of the city, it is impossible to estimate the havoc the gas cloud would have caused. It is stated that there was sufficient gas in the tank to wipe out an army. There is considerable discussion at present as to why a German firm was in possession of phosgene, which is forbidden to be made in Germany by the Versailles Treaty. Professor Haber, the most competent authority on poison gas, declares that it was only manufactured in Germany in the smallest quantities for dye purposes. It was one of the most dangerous of gases. Half a gramme in one cubic foot of air was sufficient to kill. He is unable to understand where the gas came from, as it was stored by a limited number of firms, upder the greatest precautions. The firm concerned alleged that it was an old war material, destined partly for destruction and partly for export to the United States. It is now believed that eleven are dead.—Australian Press Association.