FATAL EXPLOSION.

Shannon News, 9 March 1926, Page 3

FATAL EXPLOSION.

evidence AT inquest.

Oil Friday morning the inquest concerning the death of William Campbell, who was killed on Thursday last* as the result of an explosion, was held at the iPolioe Station before Mr Fraser (coroner). Constable Blaise conducted the case for the police and Mr F. J. Oakley, of Messrs Innes and Oakley, solicitors, represented the Makerua Drainage Board. Robert Barron said he was working for a contractor and resided at Shannon. On Thursday morning he was working on Okuku road on the new formation adjacent to the Tokoinaru stream. At about 9.20 a.m. deceased passed along driving a Ford motor car. He spoke to him and enquired about 'Using some of the Makerua Board’s horses. Was in conversation with him for about five minutes, deceased being in good spirits. When leaVing he said he was going to his old camp to gat something, but did not state what it was. The camp referred to was about 40 chains away from where he was speaking to him. He then started work but noticed him returning back in his oar about ten minutes later. Deceased was than about 20 chains away. <He had just turned his head away to go on with his work and the explosion occurred, deceased would then be about 15 chains away. Immediately the explosion took place the car burst into flames and- all that could be seem was smoke and flames reaching to a .height of approximately 20ft. Witness at once ran to the scene and found the car burning fiei-oely and Gampbell’s remains strewn about. He then proceeded to the nearest telephone and notified the police. The condition of the road is very bumpy, being only half formed, and now being completed. Deceased at the time was driving fairly steady. He could not give any idea how the explosion occurred. The witness stated if gelignite and detonators were in a box, a jar would probably explode the latter. \

John Joseph Madden stated he was working for the Drainage Board, the deceased being foreman, of toe work. He last saw Campbell between 7 and 8 a.m. on Thursday at toe Ashlea Bridge, which is in course of construction. Prior to leaving Campbell said, “Jack, I am off for, explosives, we will have to blow these stumps out.” ipeceased asked, “HJow much explosives have you got here?” Witness replied, “Only a few plugs, hut no detonators.” Deceased did not say what quantity of explosives he would bring back, but witness expected he would not be bringing bade less than 5 lbs of gelignite and 100 detonators. The explosives were kept in a tin shed at the old camp on Okuku road. Deceased was in toe habit of carrying explosives in the car. Mr Jickell, engineer >. to toe Board, was supervisor of the work and as far as witness knew Mr Jickell was not aware Campbell carried explosives in his car. The explosives were supplied by the M,akerua Drainage Board through Gunning and Co., Ltd. storekeepers, to the order of Campbell, their foreman. This was the first occasion on which Campbell had gone to the old camp for explosives for the Aishlea bridge. Hugh Blaikie, constable, stationed at Shannon, said that on the morning. Of March 4th, when in Plimmer Terrace, Shannon, he heard an explosion take’place. The sound came from the direction of Okuku road. At " d 9.45 a.m.' he received a telephone message from Robert Barron to the eff-to that W. Campbell’s motor car hail been blown up and Campbell blown to pieces. He immediately proceeded to the scene of toe explosion and there found toe car in ruins, pieces of which were strewn about in the paddock and on toe roadway for a distance of 80 to 100 yards. He saw toe left foot qf a man which had been blown off between the knee and the ankle on the left side of the road about 30 feet, in front of toe main portion of the car, and toe right folot similarly damaged about the same distance away on the other side of the road. Streiwn about toe road were pieces o*f Campbell’s remains. About 50 feet behind the oar he found the scalp' and part of the skull of the back of the head. Witness had known Campbell for the past twelve months. He was a hard working man, fairly careful and steady. , t _ The coroner’s verdict, was that William Campbell met his death on March 4th on toe Okuku, road by an accidental explosion of gelignite and detonators which he had ini his car, and which blew deceased to pieces.