TRAGIC ACCIDENT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 23, 13 November 1945, Page 5

TRAGIC ACCIDENT

ONE KILLED, FOUR INJURED

sodium chlorate ignites

The tragic and totally unexpected explosion of a number of empty sodium chlorate bags which were being carried on the back of a Whakatane Goulrifor Council truck late on Friday afternoon was responsible for the death of a and the injury of four others.

Deceased was Mr P. Rore, a Maori :aged about 50 ; married, resident at Paroa. Those injured were : — J. whose condition is still serious, M. Heihei who is progressing satisfactorily (both admitted to the Whakatane Public Hospital) and Messrs T. Kopai, and M. Finucanc (driver) who received attention at the hospital and were dis- • charged. The accident took placc a short distance from the Whakatane West on the town side. The men aboard' six in all, three in th.e cab and three on the tray had been engaged 'in eradicating and were returning home from Awakeri. EAs far as can be. friction caused the empty bags on the Tear of the truck to suddenly ignite. There was an and a searling flame swept the truck. The three men riding on the back were deceased Takotohiwa and Heihei. The latter jumped clear almost immediately, but the. former two were trapped. Of the three men in the cab, \W jKopai managed to open the door and jump. Mr M. Pinueane, despite the flames stayed with the truck, and tnanaged to pull it up. The third man Rangi who was seated 3n the middle, miraculously escaped withut injiUry. The injured men were conveyed to the hospital by the Ruatolu bus which arrived a few minutes lately en route for Whakatane. The truck itself, which had a steel body was not burnt out and was able to proceed under its own power. Fortunately the petrol in the tank did not explode. The actual reason for the explosion is, as yet ? not known.