EXTRAORDINARY EXPLOSION

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3587, 15 January 1927, Page 2

EXTRAORDINARY EXPLOSION

HOUSE WRECKED. . ‘ FAMILY’S NARROW ESCAPE. Chrischurch, January 13. Last night Mr Emmett prepared some blasting powder, which he intended to use for removing old’tree stumps, and he carefully stored it in two screw-top preserving jars. By some means the powder, which had been left in the kitchen, exploded. The house was occupied at the time by Mr and Airs Emmett and two children, a hoy aged 4 years and an infant girl. The boy was sleeping next to the room where the explosion occurred and had a very narrow escape from death. The explosion completely wrecked the kitchen and blew boards off the wall above the boy’s head. One side of the house was blown out. The rest of the house was shattered. All the windows were smashed and the occupants had a miraculous escape from flying glass. The room where Mr and Mrs Emmett and the baby were sleeping escaped severe damage, hut the windows were broken and the walls were 1 buckled. . - •

The explosive mixture was sufficient to blast forty logs. All the residents in the locality were awakened by the explosion, and some went to the assistance of Mr and Mrs Emmett. No difficulty was experienced in extricating the family from the wrecked house. The force of the explosion was felt a quarter of a mile away, houses in the vicinity being badly shaken.