BLASTING POWDER WRECKS HOUSE

Evening Star, Issue 19456, 14 January 1927, Page 8

BLASTING POWDER WRECKS HOUSE

FURTHER DETAILS OF BURWOOD SENSATION HARROW ESCAPE OF BOY (Pe« United Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, January 13. Two presorting jars full of blasting powder exploded with disastrous effect in the home of a Burwood resident this morning, the side of the house being blown ' out. Some blasting powder which he had prepared exploded in the home of Mr E. A. Emmett, carrier, of 36 Francis street, Burwood. Shortly after 1 a.m to-day the residents for a great distance around were awakened by the explosion, which completely wrecked the house of five rooms, and the family had a lucky escape. In the house at the time were Mr and Mrs Emmett and two children, a boy of four, and an infant. The boy slept in a room nest to thb kitchen where the explosives, prepared for removing old tree stumps, had been left in two preserving jars having screw tops. The force of the explosion shook the house from front to back, blew out pne side wall, and shattered the boards of-the wall above the boy’s head. Glass flew in all directions, as the windows ■were smashed by the explosion. The house has been wrecked, walls and roof suffering considerably. When the residents nearby recovered from their fright they were quickly on the spot to help the family. The powder was prepared only last night, and the cause of its exploding is difficult to explain. “The whole house was shaken,” said a neighbor. “ Though we live about a quarter of a mile from the house where the explosion occurred the. force of it was so great that we thought it had taken place just nearby.”