GASHOLDER EXPLODES

Hokitika Guardian, 22 May 1920, Page 4

GASHOLDER EXPLODES

AN AMAZING SPECTACLE

f With a terrifying roar and amid tho crash of breaking steel plates and tie rods, some 2,000,000 cubic feet of gas 1 Hared skywards on tho morning of April ' 4th. from tho big gasometer at tho s South Melbourne works of the Metroi politan Gas Company. For a few T seconds amazed residents in the neighboring districts beheld a vast and Ijirid ■ cloud of flame above their heads, at a

height apparently of some hundreds of feet, flashing vividly against the blue sky. Then the great flame vanished as the gasometer collapsed, leaving sightseers, who had felt a wave of scorching heat, in anxious uncertainty as to what' had happened. The explosion had wrecked 'the roof of the great gasometer. But .beyond this amazingly little damage was done, and houses and works in the neighborhood escaped practically unharmed. There was no loss of life, and only half a dozen injuries, consisting of burns, were reported to the police.

In all the circumstances it is extraordinary that so little damage should have been done. The gas works- are situated not far from the South Melbourne beach, in the centre of a typical congested industrial area. The explosion occurred at 10.30. a.m. at a time when the gasometer was about twothirds full, and in the retort houses, away across Pickles street, some 50 employees were at their usual work on the Sunday morning shift, but there were fortunately no workmen in the neighborhood of the gas holder itself when the accident happened, otherwise there might have been a heavy death roll. The streets adjoining the gas works were also practically empty. There were several eyewitnesses of the occurrence, however, who related A REMARKABLE STORY.

A low rumbling noise was heard suddenly, which increased to a sound resembling thunder—so loud that it could be distinctly heard at least half a mile distent from the scene of the accident. Almost simultaneously a sheet of flame was observed to burst through the roof of the gasometer and float rapidly to the heavens in the form of a gigantic cloud of fire. As the flames ascended to a height of several hundred feet they presented- an extraordinary spectacle. The outpouring of the excessive volume of burning gas was accompanied by an explosion which shook■ the foundations of houses throughout •Port Melbourne, Albert Park, and South MJelboairne. Panes of glass in tho windows of cottages close to tho scene were smashed by the concussion. The flames remained in midair like the head of a mushroom far above the gasometer for a few seconds, spread in a glowing cloud with extraordinary rapidity in. all directions. The gas container then dropped to the ground level.

xMarmed householders rushed excitedly from their homes; hut the fire was of brief duration and tbe fears of an extensive outbreak were quickly dispelled. Nevertheless some of those in the neighbourhood had terrifying experiences.

A SENSATIONAL EXPERIENCE, was that of two youths—George Dunn and Frederick Greenwood. They were standing a few yards distant from i he gasometer when the explosion occurred. When interviewed, Greenwood said: “We were walking along Graham street from Bay street; Port Melbourne, to Pickles street. When we. reached Schumacher’s mill furnishing works ft the corner of Graham and Johnstone streets I saw the gasometer blow up. The next think I saw was a great,mass of flame surrounding me and my companibn. We turned and ran back towards Bay street. As we were tunning we were'fighting for our breath. We were suffocating. Reaching Esplanade East, halfway between Schumacher’s corner and Bay street, we were able to breath freely. We stopped. Then I found that the back of niy neck had been burned. Dunn’s neck was also burned owing to the intense heat. A narrow, escape from injury was also reported by a motor cyclist who was endeavouring t-q start his machine close to the 'gasometer. Seeing the flames leaping from the top of the gasometer he “ran for his'life” dragging the motor cycle with him until he reached shelter behind a brick wall. So intense was the heat from the momentary flash of tho explosion, indeed, that grass plots, flower beds, and creepers on properties near-the gasometer were severely scorched. So bright was the flame that telephoned inquires were received from persons who had seen the flash at distances of 15 miles away and over, and were anxious to know what it nortended.

A remarkable feature of the occurrence was that- although approximately 2,000,000 cubic feet of coal gas was consumed in the outbreak,i no serious fires occurred, though a number of small fires broke out in the vicinity, only to be quickly extinguished. THE, DAMAGE TO THE GASOMETER. testified to the force of the explosion. The gaunt supporting framework of iron pillars stood as solidly as ever, though blackened and with blistered paint. But the steel plates which formed the huge roof of the container were ripped and rolled back in crumpled waves of torn metal. It was as though a giant’s hand had clutched the roof and crumpled it like a sheet of paper. The tom sheets were piled up against the supporting plates >nd bulging masses of crumpled metal overhung the wall of the works. Here •nd there stout tie rods had been snapped like sticks or bent into curves. Where the plates had been torn away the supporting framework of the room consisting of immense wooden beams, was revealed. The wood showed little sign of burning, but some of the big baulks of timber were split and broken/ Beneath was the water 30ft. deep, in which the gasometer floats green and covered with scum with several woken joists of timber floating on its surface. Tile whole of the gigantic container was tilted slightly, and in places was buckled and blistered with the heat.