THE TATU DISASTER

Southland Times, Issue 18851, 17 June 1920, Page 5

THE TATU DISASTER

EXPLOSION UK GELIGNITE. ADDITIONAL PARTIUULARS. U’er I nited Pits' Association.; TAI’MAIUATI, Juno It!. Reports «iiit>T!.!:T the gelignite explosion al Ta:u arc still vi-it meagre and cont radietory. The only dab ait c information the i o lif i- have receive*! is that an explosion of gelignite ocetirreii, but not how. ami that Mrs England, her infant son, anil .Miss !;iliit;rn wire killerl. Information reeived from ;m Ohura resident by telephone is to tlm eflect ’.ha’ .’!r England put a packet of gelignite in trim? of the lire to dry and ■.vent away to milk cows. An c.xplo.-ion orenrred, and it w I bought i■ i-rli;i.-s .Mrs Enghmd put ttie gelignite on a stove. Mrs England was blown out of the back door and expired in a few minutes after the arrival of the doctor. Miss Lilburn was in a separate room when the explosion occurred, and her body and the infant’s were buried under the ruins of the house, which was practically wrecked. The stove was blown to [lieees. The deceased were the only persons in the house. . The explosion occurred between eight and nine o'clock on Tuesday morning, The very frosty night on Monday probably made the gelignite exceptionally sensitive to heat.