FIVE CHILDREN DEAD

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 50, 2 March 1943, Page 3

FIVE CHILDREN DEAD

EXPLOSION OF POWDER FROM FLARE BOMB AUSTRALIAN TRAGEDIES (Recd. 6 p.m.) Sydney, Mrch 1. Five children died in the Newcastle Hospital from burns received when an explosive powder which they had extri cted from a flare bomb was ignited The children, aged from 7 years to 15 years, had found the bomb in shallow water at the edge of a lake. They were standing in a group examining its contents when, it is believed, one of them struck a match and threw it on tne heap of powder. Hi-' father of one of the children said he heard a dull roar and saw the children, who were all wearing bathing trvnkc, enveloped in flame. The grass around them was alight. The bare bodies of the children had received the full force of the blast and were extensively burned from the waist up. 7 r.ree families, friends for many years, have been bereaved, each family being left with only one child. The families were spending the weekend together at a holiday resort. This was Australia's second tragedy durir.v the week caused through children tampering with military material which they had found. At Brisbane a school-boy aged 12, was killed and seven other children injured, three critically, when a shell exploded. The boy had discovered the shell and is believed Io have dropped it while showing it to the other children. A warning has been given by the militaryauthor,ties that people must not souvenir or tamper with any military apparatus they may discover.