STARTLING ACCIDENT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18320, 2 November 1921, Page 9

STARTLING ACCIDENT.

EXPLOSION ON MOTOR LAUNCH. OWNER BADLY BURNT. A startling acijidcnt occurred at the Clyde Quay boat harbour, Wellington, about 2.15 p.m. on Saturday, when Allan Humphries, single, aged 24 years, residing at 83 Hanson St., was seriously burnt through the explosion of the benzine- tank ot a motor launch, which he was in the act of soldering. The injured man was hurried to the hospital, where, at an early hour on Sunday morning he was reported to be a little better. Those who happened to be in the vicinity of the boat harbour when the mishap took place were surprised by a loud explosion. Within a few moments Humphries’ motor launch, Mickey, which was hauled up on to the cement bunk near the Te Aro baths, was a mass of flames. Humphries leaped from the vessel, and with his clothes ablaze from his neck to his feet, jumped into the harbour. George Whiteford, the Harbour Board's caretaker at the boat harbour, ran to the water’s edge and pulled Humphries out. L. Wixon, which great presence of mind, dashed to where a patent fire extinguisher is kept in a shed for such emergencies, and with its prompt application suppressed the flames in the launch. It appears that he was using a blow lamp for soldering a small benzine tank, which he had lifted out into the cockpit of his 25ft launch, Micky. Evidently there was benzine in the tank, for the explosion opened it out almost flat.