BENZINE EXPLODES.

Waipawa Mail, Volume LXII, Issue 76, 14 March 1934, Page 3

BENZINE EXPLODES.

MAN BADLY BURNED FIERCE BLAZE IN STREET. HAMILTON, Last night. A benzine explosion which occurred while the petrol tank of a lorry was being filled at Cambridge last evening caused severe burns to Mr B. Howard. He was taken to the Waikato Hospital. Another driver, Mr T. W. Langford, was burned on the right forearm. The lorry, which was owned by Mr Arthur J. Andrews, of Rotorua, and driven by Mr Thomas W. Langford, was parked opposite the post-office, where the driver, in company with Mt Howard, commenced filling the tank from a 12-gallon drum. An explosion occurred and the drum burst into flames. Mr Howard, who was holding the drum, threw it on to the footpath, where it blazed fiercely. Fortunately at that spot there is a vacant section between two shops and no damage was done by the flames. The lorry also caught fire, but the five brigade quickly suppressed the flames. The cab was badly charred, but the goods on the lorry were little damaged. Mr Howard’s condition was later reported to be satisfactory.