THREE DEATHS FROM BURNS

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24912, 27 June 1946, Page 3

THREE DEATHS FROM BURNS

EXPLOSION OF PETROL STOVE EVIDENCE AT INQUEST ,p A) AUCKLAND, June 26. 1 Ar. inquest was concluded to-day before the Coroner, Mr A. Add Jsc n, T the deaths of Daphne Rosam „ c ®, d ,, l ' y °nrt aged 19, Blanche Vera Lyon, aged 17. and r-harles Edward Lyon, aged 20, who died from burns they suffered wben Ci a , v ?J tr i { l stove exploded on the yacht Panmure basin on February 2. Da U b and Blanche Lyon died in „ the _® d rc^ Hospital on February 3, and cnaries Lvon on February 4. Their father, Wil lism Charles Lyon, of Panorama Mount Wellington, his wife, and one other were Injured in the explosion. William Charles Lyon said that when the benzine stove was lighted in the cabin his children and a were sitting near it. The witness and his wife were "further forward. A roaring fl a F^ a filled the cabin, and the witness tried to open the forward hatch This was He was of the opinion ttiat left the cabin before Jie did. He naa owned the yacht for a year, and for three weeks during the c h r,s ) t ‘" as . dozen stove had been used about a dozen tS Kenneth Tucker Charles^ Lyon was working the stove. At the time °f W® explosion all the occupants of the cabin except Mr and Mrs Lyon op .™ the deck Daphne Lyon s clothes were smouldering, and Blanche Lyon Jumped

CoiXbT'Maclean said that when he Inspected the cabin on Feb ™ a * y 4 found I'ttle damage of conae s“ a P c ?' was unable to find any defect in the stove and it was not until later, tbat he found that a tube had been disconnected. The effect ol the tube working loose would be that ben “ne wouM W sprayed under pressure on to the lighten burner. He was. without doubt that it was through the tube working loose that the explosion occurred. A verdict was returned in accordance with the medical evidence, that the cause S death the three Persons was toxaemia and shock by severe burns.