BLOWN TO PIECES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3007, 6 March 1926, Page 3

BLOWN TO PIECES.

SHOCKING FATALITY NEAR SHANNON.

The Okuku road, about two miles north of Shannon, was the scene of an extraordinary and shocking fatality on Thursday morning, when a five-seater car and its occupant, Mr. W. Campbell, of Tokomaru, were blown to pieces by an explosion which originated from within the car. The victim, who was 46 years of age, was bridge foreman for the Makerua Drainage Board and went down in his car to a whare on the Okuku road near where the. workmen are at present operating, to secure detonators and gelignite. Campbell had not proceeded more tlan 200 yards after loading up at the whare when the explosion occurred and it is presumed that the bumping of the car tired the detonators; which unfortunately must have been in close proximity to the gelignite. The explosion was heard as far away as Shannon and when two men working in nearby drains reached the scene, they found the car in fragments, some parts having been hurled for a distance of over 100 yards. Campbell had been blown to pieces, parts of his body being found long distances from the scene of the tragedy. Deceased was well-known and highly-respected throughout the district and was regarded by his employers as a man who could get things done. He was a widower, Mrs. Campbell having predeceased him about 12 months ago. He leaves a family of 10 children, the eldest, a girl of 17, some of whom are in All Saints’ Children’s Home at Palmerston North and Foxton and two others at a Wellington institution. The car was a new one, having been in deceased’s possession only three weeks.

THE INQUEST,

An inquest concerning the death of William Campbell, was held at Shannon yesterday morning before Mr. Fraser, coroner.

Constable Blackie conducted the case for the police, and Mr. F. J. Oakley, of Palmerston North, represented the Makerua Drainage Board.

Robert Barron stated in evidence that while working at the new road formation close to the Tokomaru stream, about 9.20 on Thursday morning, the deceased came along driving a motor-car. He stopped him to enquire about using the Makerua Drainage Board’s horses. The conversation lasted for five minutes, and deceased was in good spirits. He said he was going along to his camp to get something, but did not state what it was. The camp referred to was situated about 40 chains away. About 10 minutes later witness saw deceased returning in the car, and when about 15 chains away the explosion occurred. The car immediately burst into flames. Witness immediately ran to the scene of the explosion, and found the remains of Campbell strewn all over the place. Witness then notified the police. The condition of the road in this part was bumpy, being a new road half formed and now being completed. Campbell appeared to be driving in a steady manner. Witness had no idea how the explosion occurred. John Joseph Madden, working for the Makerua Drainage Board, stated that the last, time he saw Campbell was between 7 and 8 on Thursday morning. That was at the Ashley bridge, which is in the course of construction. Prior to leaving, Campbell said he was going off for explosives, as the stumps had to be blown out. He did not say how much explosives he would bring back, but witness expected he would bring five pounds and at least 100 detonators. The explosives were in a tin shed in an old camp near the Okuku road. Deceased was in the habit of carrying explosives in the car. Mr. Jiekell, engineer of the board, was supervisor of the work, and as far as witness knew was not aware that Campbell carried explosives in the car This was the first time the deceased had gone to the old camp for explosives for Ashley bridge. Constable Hugh Blackie, stationed at Shannon, said he immediatelyproceeded to the scene of the explosion, and there found the ear in ruins, pieces of which were strewn about the paddock and roadway for a distance of 80 to 100 yards. He saw the left foot of a man which had been blown off between the knee and ankle, about 30 or 40 feet in front of the car, and the right foot similarly damaged on the other side of the road. ' Strewn about the road were pieces of Campbell’s remains. Witness bad known Campbell for the past 12 months. He was a hard-working man, fairly careful and steady.

The verdict was that William Campbell met his death on March 4 by an accidental explosion of gelignite which he had in his ear.