TERRIBLE EXPLOSION AT THE THEATRE ROYAL.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1677, 3 July 1875, Page 4

TERRIBLE EXPLOSION AT THE THEATRE ROYAL.

An explosion of gas, causing the death of one man and serious injuries to another, occurred (says the Argus) in an outhouse belonging to the Theatre Royal. The Theatre Royal managers manufacture oxygen and hydrogen gas, for the production of stage effects in two small gasometers in a sort of shed on the east side of the stage, but altogether outside the main building. On Monday evening, Mr Millistt went into tbe shed with a young man of 19 or 20, named Sydney Smith, for the purpose, it is supposed of finding out and closing some small leak. They took a port fire and soldering iron with them, and it js supposed mounted on the top of the hydrogen gasometer to look for the leak, taking with them, it is believed, a lighted candle. A terrific explosion was heard at about a quarter past six, at which time it is surmised they were on the gasometer looking for the leak. Two men employed about the place went to the shed, and found the gasometer thrown down in the shed, and a large irregular hole some four feet wide torn in the corrugated roof of the shed. On the shed near this rent they found Mr. Millistt .lying doubled up, and on moving him discovered that his leg was broken, and that he was apparently injured internally. He was conscious, but did not seem to know what had happened, and asked where he was. Some one then called out that tbe young man who had been in, the shed with him coald not he found. A search was made, and ultimately Smith was found in a confused heap on the top of a two-storey brick building adjoining the shed. The force of the explosion had propelled both men right through the roof of corrugated sheet iron, but while.Milistt had fallen back upon the roof, Smith had been cast in a slanting direction some 17 feet higher, over a chimney, and upon the two-storey brick building. He was taken down,and Mr Crossen, surgeon,.i who had been sent for, examined him, and found that he was quite-dead, his neck being broken. One arm wai also broken, and the head was cut and bleeding profusely. Smith's body was removed to the morgue, and Millistt was conveyed to the Melbourne Hospital, where it was found that he bad sustained a compound fracture of the leg, and injury to the face. It wasTalso feared that his back was hurt, and.that he had sustained iuternal injuries, but this could not be ascertained. He was suffering greatly from general shock to the system, Millisett is about 40 years old;