WORKMAN KILLED

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 91, 4 May 1937, Page 9

WORKMAN KILLED

-Presa Assooiation.)

Fatal Accident at Milson Aerodrome

(Bs Telegraph-

PALMERSTON N., This Day. A married inafi nanied Frederick Charles Norton, aged S4, who resided at 7 Regent street, Palmerston North, met death under tragie circumstances in the workshop attached to the hangar of Union Airways Ltd., Milson, shdrtly before mid-day yesterday. He was using an oxy-acetylene plant to cut the, top off an empty benzine druna when an explosion odcurred, probably as the result ef the fum,es in the dmtn bedoming ignited when the acetylene fiame penetrated the metal casing. ^ The iron lid blew out -with terriflc force and inflicted shocking injuries to Mr. Norton 's head, and he dropped where he stood. » Working a planing machine some six feet away, another employee had a narrow escape, but the deadly missile did not fly in his directlon, and he was unhurt, though shaken by the explosioh. No damage vras done to the interior of the workshop, and the acetylene plant itself did not explode, but the petrol drum burst into flames imtiiedlately, ahd the blaze had • to be suppressed with an extinguisher. Mr. Norton leaves besldes hia Wife, who lives in Taradale, a daugh*-- ^ho is working in Napier.