GELIGNITE EXPLOSION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 787, 9 April 1910, Page 12

GELIGNITE EXPLOSION.

". THKEE PEESONS KILLED AND EIGHT INJURED. POLISH MINEKS FOOLISH ACT. Three persons were killed and eight in. jured by a gelignite explosion which occurred recently in" the village of Glen-, boig, about eight miles from Glasgow. The scene of the disaster was Gaxnquee'n Square, a group of three blocks of singlestoried houses, each consisting of one room and kitchen, and.occupied;by clay pit workers. The house in which the explosion occurred was the second of fonr which constituted one side of Garnqueen Square. It was occupied by Peter Wolff, whose Polish name is given aa Paltrua Vilkiatus.

With the Wolffs lodged another Pole named Vincns Pottris, who is. a mine? now employed by Messrs. Hurll, and : wh« was about to proceed on night duty at,a neighbouring pit, and before, leaving wag' drying about slb. of gelignite in a cardboard box which he had placed on the hob of the fireplace. Pottris, having placed .the gelignite on the hob, 6at down in front of the fire waiting for it to ; dry. As might have been expected, tho heal caused the gelignite to explode, with th« result that the Wolffs'' house and thosa on .each side of it were almost completely wrecked. Pottris himself escaped with only a slight cut on the cheek, but those whom he had so thoughtlessly endangered were not so fortunate. ■... ..'"'

The Wolff family, suffered heavily. A son aged 3i years was killed outright j.' another, aged 2 years, had his face practically destroyed, . and the father . and mother were also severely injured: .A second lodger in the house named CazemiiWobzdonifl'Was killed ontright, as was also a neighbour known as Mrs.' Mitchell, whose Polish name is Antonina Snoye, oj Mitzcavage; wife of Antonio .Mitzcavage. The death of this unfortunate woman has a doubly pathetic interest. In the early morning Mrs. Wolff had- given.birth' to a-child, and' Mrs. Mitchell had extended • to her a neighbourly kindness in attending to her during her confinement. She met a terrible death. ' The; following is the list of killed:—; Cazemis Woozdonis (23), pit drawer, unmarried. ' .' Antonina Suoye, or Mitzcavage, also known as Mrs. Mitchell (28), wife .of Antonio Mitzcavage. ... Vincns Vilkiatns (3J years), son of Wolff. ■.' '.- :.' ; Peter Wolff, ,pr Paltrus Vilkiatns (27),: occupant of house in which the explosion occurred—very badly injured about : /th» ; face and eyes. "•.,•■' 's Mrs. Wolff, his wife—injuries' to faca and right arm, and suffering, froin shock— ' not serious. "• V ■-■ ■ Boy. of two years, eon of Peter.: WoM— faco and eyes practically destroyed; Michael Burns (39), kiln burner—injuries on face, head; and heck. Mrs. Burns, his wife—injuries to legs and shock—hot serious. John Burns (15),' son—slight cut on face, James MTHillan (36), brickworker— bruises on body and legs. ; MTklillan's son (1 year and 9 months) —cut on leg. .•:.■ .Wolff, his wife, and their son were taken to the Eoyal Infirmary, Glasgow, Tho child was in a critical condition..,