Dynamite Explosion.

Manawatu Herald, 16 July 1903, Page 3

Dynamite Explosion.

MAN SERIOUSLY INJURED*; A mao named J. Coonaogi was brought to the Palmerston Hospital on Tuesday morning from Shannon, suffering from severe injuries subStained by an explosion of dynamite * in the Makerua swamp. It appears that Coonan, Chas. Cameron Goodwin and several other men, were, engaged working on a contract in connection with the draining operations now being carried out in the Makerua swamp, about two miles from Shannon. Coonan was attempting to warm some dynamite in a warming pan over the fire in the cook’s tent. He placed some dynamite in water in the pan, laying about 80 plugs on the ground in close proximity to the fire. After a few minutes the dynamite, in the pan suddenly exploded, and also ignited the plugs on the ground. The three men above mentioned, and another man were in the tent at the time. Coonan was the most seriously injured, havirig one leg broken, an ear nearly torn off, and an eye seriously injured, besides receiving flesh wounds over the whole of hia body. Cameron is suffering from slight concussion of the brain, and is totally deaf, while, Goodwin is deaf on one side from the shock. The tent was completely wrecked Dr Mackenzie was summoned from Levin, and attended to the minor injuries, the sufferers being removed to the Palmerston Hospital, . * Coonan is stated to be a native of Dunedin, from where he came to Makerua about three months ago.' One of his mates states that just previous to the explosion he expostulated with Coonan about the danger of the practice of warming the’explosive over a fire. The mate then, fortunately, walked away to attend to some other work.—-Standard. ■