EXPLOSION.

Evening Star, Issue 3043, 19 November 1872, Page 2

EXPLOSION.

To-day, shortly after one o’clock, an accident occuned to the digester in use at the Soap Works of Messrs M'Leod, Kotins, ami MM.eod, Cumberland street, The digester, a large pan used for it citing fat and tallow, capable containing 900 gallons, was heated by steam supplied from a boiler connected with it by a tube which entered through the bottom, and was bout at right angles nearly at a level with the top. The steam passed through the tube at a pressure regulated by safety valves attached both to the boiler and "digester, and the vessel was further strengthened inside by upright iron stays The safety valves could hays been weighted

to 351b, hut only showed a pressure of 251b at the time of the accident. Next to the soap works is Mr Lockie’s boarding-house, the inmates of which, while at lunch, were startled by a loud and sudden explosion, and by the sound of fragments falling upon the roof of the house. As nothing fell through however, they waited until all was quiet before attempting to ascertain the cause; but, ou looking out, they saw a portion of the huge digester, S feet 6 inches long by about 5 feet in diameter, lying across the fence furthest from the soapery, which it had smashed in falling. Several persons had seen it take its flight—one said it went up like a baloou, another like a rocket; at any rate it must have risen at least <3O feet from the ground, as it took its course completely over Mr Loekie’s house, and was carried a distance of full 50 yards before it fell. It turned a somerset, pitched upon its top, and, striking the fence, scattered fragments of it about. It is seldom that an accident of the sort occurs without some injury to persons about, and we regret to say that Archibald Graham, the cooper, who was working close to the digester, was badly scalded about the arms and shoulders. He was taken immediately to the Hospital and attended to, and it is hoped that no bad consequences will result. A boy named John Mellon, ten years of age, who was playing at the time among goma casks in the yard, was struck by a splinter and had his arm broken. He was taken to the Hospital, where the arm was immediately set. Beyond that, he sustained no injury. Providentially, the huge mass of iron took precisely the course in which the least harm could be effected. Had it flown in the opposite direction, many persons at Messrs Wilson’s foundry must have been hurt. The digester was nearly new, having only been about eight mouths since made by Messrs Kincaid and Co. Ou examination of the bottom, the upper part had the appearance of being cut off from it by design, so clean was the fracture. Every attention was paid to the sufferers by the partners of the firm.