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Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4322, 26 September 1921, Page 2

The terrific explosion at the Oppau aniline dye works in Germany, with thousands dead and injured, is a reminder that coal tar dyes and explosive s are very close relations. Nearly every dye factory in America has had experience of this in a smaller or larger way since the need arose during the war for the development of the industry. A coal tar dye works makes a valuable explosives factory in war time. In fact the man who lays out such a plant has to be an engineer with a pretty thorough knowledge of chemistry as well. One dye works in America nearly came to grief through storing toluene in a glass-enamelled steel tank, forgetting that it made an ideal electrical condenser. and was just the place where such highly dangerous stuff should not be kept. Not only will some of the dyes themselves explode, but in their manufacture vapours are created that when diluted with air may become highly explosive also.