EXPLOSIVE MIXTURE

Evening Star, Issue 23681, 14 September 1940, Page 18

EXPLOSIVE MIXTURE

KEROSENE AND PETROL A “BACH" TRAGEDY [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, September 13. The danger of mixing petrol with kerosene for use in primus stoves was mentioned by Constable M'Kenzie and a storekeeper (Henry George Carter), when giving evidence at the inquest into the death of William James Morris, a labourer, aged 52, who died in the Auckland Hospital on August 28. The deceased lived in a ‘ bach ’’ at Palm Beach, Waiheke Island. The “ bach ” caught fire and was burned down on the night of August 24, the deceased, who was in the “ bach ” at the time, receiving severe burns. While waiting to be sent to hospital, the deceased (who was then conscious) said that a primus stove had exploded. Constable M'Kenzie said that when he searched the debris after the fire he found a partly-melted primus stove without a filter cap. Ho thought the

deceased must have used a mixture of petrol and kerosene and it had exploded. Kerosene by itself would not explode.’ The Coroner found that the deceased had died from shock following upon burns received when his “ bach ” was burned down.