TERRIFIC EXPLOSION IN SYDNEY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 363, 2 April 1866, Page 1

TERRIFIC EXPLOSION IN SYDNEY.

(From the Sydney Morning Herald sth March.) A tremendous explosion occurred at halfpast six o’clock last night, by which the stores occupied by Messrs Molison and Black, in Bridge-street, were totally destroyed. The noise of the explosion very much resembled the discharge of artillery, and the position of the occurrence was indicated by a dense column of dust and rubbish, which ascended to the height of about one hundred and fifty feet. The concussion of the atmosphere was such that the glass of ail the windows which happened to be closed at the time within a radius of three or four hundred yards was smashed; indeed, it is said that some of the windows of the Mint, in Maequarie-street, and in other parts of the city at an equal distance, were broken. A good deal of the plate-glass in the offices of the Pacific Insurance Co., the Exchange, and stores in Pitt-street, was broken; while in Bridge-street, between George and Pitt streets, there was not a house the windows of which escaped. Lyons’-buildings and the Bank of Australasia were also damaged in this particular, and .a number of other houses in George-street and Jamison-street were likewise injured. As to the stores, they were completely demolished, there being literally not one stone left upon another. The destruction of the buildings was instantaneous. The stores were one storey high ; they had a frontage of about fifty feet to the south side of Bridge-street, and extended back for a distance of seventy or eighty feet. They were built of stone, and were divided by a wall of about two feet in thickness. The front consisted of solid blocks of masonry, and several of the stones, which were three feet long and of proportionate breadth and thickness, were thrown into the street. The roadway was strewn with lead guttering and beams of wood of considerable size and strength, which had been split by the explosion. Some missiles of this description appear to have been driven with great violence against the iron shutters of the Colonial Sugar Company’s offices, which were dinted, and the plateglass of the windows was smashed; many doors and window-frames of other houses in the neighborhood were also broken in in a similar manner. The pavements were in many places strewn with pieces of glass. Considerable damage was none to a new store occupied by Mr Wallach, on the east side; and the end adjoining Molison and Black’s premises having been blown out, the roof will probably tumble down, and the store will require to be re-built. Although thore was a great deal of timber and lead in the street, the materials comprising the building appear to have been blown upwards in an almost perpendicular direction, and the debris thus fell back on the foundations. Planks and other large pieces of wood were, however, thrown on to some three-storey houses in the direction of George-street, and distant about one hundred yards. It is said a piece of chair was picked up on Church Hill, and that some of the papers of the firm were carried by the wind as far as St. Philip’s Church. The telegraph wires were torn down. As may be supposed, a vast crowd of people quickly congregated in Bridge-street, and that, as well as other thoroughfares in the neighborhood, continued to be thronged by spectators until a late hour. It is a noteworthy and most gratifying circumstance in connection with this affair that no persons have been seriously burnt. One young man suffered a slight injury to his thumb, and another had his face scratched. There were very few persons in Bridge-street at the time; but conceiving the occurrence to have happened during the hours of business through the week, it is dreadful to imagine the disastrous consequences which in all probability would have followed this explosion.

There was no gunpowder on the premises, nor kerosene in store, nor was gas laid on; it was therefore supposed that the explosion was caused in some way by some cases of nitro-glycerine oil, a combustible fluid intended to supersede the use of gunpowder, which had been recently imported. The Herald of the Gth says;— .

As to the origin of the explosion, noimng definite is yet known, and little more can be said than what has already been reported. The general impression which prevails is that the explosion was in some way or other occasioned by the liquid called nitroglycerine, but in what manner is yet a matter of mere conjecture. Two cases of this substance were imported per the Ramsay, and, as we are informed, were placed in the Queen’s stores on the 19th February, and they remained there until the 28th. These cases were marked M over 356 and M over 363, the words “ blasting oil” being also written on them. Yesterday morning Mr 'Winelder, to whom the cases were consigned, pointed out to the Inspector General of Police where he thought they might be found. Captain M'Lerie thereupon directed a number of laborers to search for the cases, which they accordingly did, but no traces of them could he found. It is said that the oil was contained in glass bottles, most, if not all, of which were in one of the wooden cases, the other case containing instruments to be used in its application.