FIRE AND EXPLOSION AT UPPER HUTT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1227, 31 March 1914, Page 4

FIRE AND EXPLOSION AT UPPER HUTT.

SIX MEN KILLED. SEVERAL INJURED. EXPLOSION HEARD TWENTY MILES AWAY. BODIES HORRIBLY MUTILATED. Wellington, March 29. At midnight last night a fire broke out at the Upper Hutt in a general store occupied by B*enge and Pratt. Townspeople hurried to the scene to assist in salvaging goods, and while they were so occupied a terrible explosion occurred. Five men were killed outright and several were injured, one of whom has died since. The dead are Constable Denis Mahoney ; James Comesky, postmaster ; William Flynn, railway guard ; George Taylor, railway porter; Michael Toohey, bridge contractor; John Wesley Vivian, assistant storeman. The injured are: V. McGovern, member of the Town Board ; Edward Felling, blacksmith ; George Taylor, juur.. railway porter ; James Hagan, caretaker of Trentham rifle range; Charles Walters, signalman ; auci T. Costello, signalman.

The fire was discovered by Constable Mahoney about 11.45 p.m., and the partners of the firm were notified and people in the adjoining premises were awakened. Constable Mahoney and others began to remove goods from the shop and this was continued for some minutes till fears were expressed that the building would collapse and bury the men working inside. Constable Mahoney said he would go iu “to get the boys out.”

He Is said to have brought out a man called Stott and Vivian and eutered the store a third time, but just as he bad entered the door an explosion occurred, completely wrecking the store and seriously damaging neighbouring buildings. Every window in the neighbourhood was smashed completely. Flynn was guard on the midnight up train which had just arrived from Wellington, and Taylor, junr., was porter at the station. They had just arrived on the scene when the explosion occurred and were apparently both at work on the footpath in front of the store.

Taylor’s head was almost completely severed, presumably by flying plate glass. Flynn was buried beneath the debris, and when found portions of his legs and arms were missing. Comesky, the postmaster, as soon as he saw the fire went to the office of Edwards, a carrier, at the corner of the burning store, and started to remove the telephone. He was doing this when the explosion occurred. Toohey was standing on the balcony at the corner of the Provincial Hotel next to the fire playing a small hose on the side of the hotel. The force of the explosion blew him back on the verandah and he was badly injured, dying after admission to the hospital.

Crabtree, the licensee, who was standing beside Toohey, was thrown to the ground, but escaped unhurt. Vivian was found lying dead on the ground, but how he met his death is unknown.

Of the injured men Walters was blown right across to the other side of the street. Besides those whose names are mentioned, a number of others suffered minor injuries from flying debris.' The injured were attended to as quickly as possible, medical assistance being sum moned from the Lower Hutt, and at 2 o'clock a special train left for Wellington with the most serious cases.

The cause of the explosion is unknown. The owners say there were no explosives in the shop, which, however, was lit by acetylene gas. The destroyed building was a two-storeyed structure, built about 40 years ago. The building and fittings were insured for in the Commercial Union, and the stock for in the Guardian Office.

Hazelwood’s grocery store next door, a brick building, was burnt out, only the walls being left. This was insured for in the Alliance office, and the stock for £I,BOO in the same office.

The Provincial Hotel on the other side of Benge and Pratt’s, had all the windows broken and holes were knocked in the wall by flying debris. The explosion was heard at Kaiwarra, nearly 20 miles away, while at the Lower Hutt and Petone it is stated the ground shook perceptibly. In the Upper Hutt itself the force of the explosion was so great that windows were broken halt a mile away from the fire.

MAHONEY HARDLY RECOGNISABLE.

Constable Mahoney’s body was so badly mutilated that it was only recognisable be means of his handcuffs. He was about 40 years of age and leaves a widow and three young children. He had been about five years at the Upper Hutt.

Guard Flynn was about 35 years of age and leaves a widow. Mr Comesky had been in charge of the Upper Hutt Post Office for about two years and was 57 years old. He leaves a widow and grown-up family of seven. Mr Vivian was about 35 but no details of his family are known. Mr Toohey was about 28 and is said to have been employed by Maymorn Estate Sawmilling Company.

Porter Taylor, who was killed, was 21 and was employed at the Hutt.