FATAL EXPLOSION

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 21, 26 January 1938, Page 18

FATAL EXPLOSION

METHYLATED SPIRITS

FINDING AT INQUEST

(My rclt-Kniltli—l'l'Vßn AWtUi'llitltHi.)

AUCKLAND, Jmiuury 126

"It is not possible for mv to Auy how the explosion uccuitoc*, bill there jb no reason to believe it. wiim ulhrn than an accident.' stud Mr, W It, IVlcKcan. X.M.. Coroner, )ii u» mtjucst into the death ol Charles Orlando Roscoe, married, aged 47, whu was very severely burnt when v drum of methylated spirits exploded in hi:; grocery shop in WniuUu on January 7 ■

Constable Henry, ol Waiuku, saw the accident occurred in a room at theback ol the shop and although some things were ignited by the explosion Ihey were extinguished before any damage was done. He.was told Hint the deceased got the full contents ol the drum over him and was badly burnt all over . ; .

"The deceased was- in the.shop oy 'himself at the' time .and it ,was not known what caused the spirits to explode," witness added. "On a bench alongside the drum stood a small spirit lamp which, was' empty.. I'He drum was also empty and out ol shape, the bottom having been blown out ol it. II was blackened inside, showing it had been on' firei"

Delcie Roscoe, wile..of the deceased, said she saw her husband in the Franklin Memorial- Hospital about-an' hour after the accident, when he said: "I lifted the tin and it exploded all over me I will never forget it." He told witness he. was- not-smoking at the time and did not know how much spirits was'in the drum, a four-gallon ron'tainer. ..-..;

"Sometimes ■■ my : husband made tea on the small spirit lump," witness said.

"The accident happened about lunch time, but he was not in.the'habit of drinking tea with his" lunch."

■ In reply to the Coroner, witness said her husband told her no more about the explosion or, gave any explanation as to how it happened. '

Acting Sergeant W. G. .Bennett said the deceased apparently attempted to light the spirit lamp and the fumes