Terrific Explosion Tears Up Street In High Holborn.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18643, 21 December 1928, Page 1

Terrific Explosion Tears Up Street In High Holborn.

PEDESTRIANS THROWN INTO AIR BY BLAST WHICH LIFTED BLOCKS OF CONCRETE LIKE FEATHERS.

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph-—Copyright.) (Received December 21, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, December 20. AN EXTRAORDINARY gas explosion occurred at High Holborn at eight o’clock this morning, when business men and women were coming into the city. Half a mile of roadway was torn up, kerbstones were lifted like feathers, pedestrians were flung into the air, a horse was killed and a taxicab overturned. A number of manholes exploded with a noise resembling exploding bombs, several Post Office workmen were seen lying in the ruins of a manhole, which was ablaze when the explosion ended. The Fire Brigade and ambulance were quickly on the spot and the men removed to hospital. It was astonishing that the loss of life was not serious. People were blown out of their beds in the neighbourhood. There were no fatalities, though there were many miraculous escapes. The gas covered a wide area which the police cleared. Several people on the outskirts were overcome by the fumes and were taken to hospital. The underground railway was not affected. The police had difficulty in clearing the streets of people, who believed that the underground had blown up. The-accident apparently originated through workmen with a blowing machine laying cables. Deep Assures ran the whole way along the line. Huge craters were blown in the roadway. Ton blocks of solid concrete were hurled aside and shops were damaged. Parts of the roadway dropped several feet. At one point the gas is still aflre. A water main burst, flooding many basements. It appears that a linesman descended a manhole to connect a blower with a switch. A few minutes later a sheet of flame rushed up. The man managed to scramble out with his trousers aflre, but he was terribly burnt.—Australian Press Association.