UPPER HUTT TRAGEDY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 91, 8 April 1914, Page 6

UPPER HUTT TRAGEDY.

£Peb Pekss Association.] „ JJUP e H A P ril 8 - Much formal evidence was given by a number of witnesses who threw no light on the cause of the explosion. They stated that , the explosion did not take, place-until fully half an hour after the fire was discovered. J Gteo. Hay said there were a number of minor explosions after the main explosion, which at the time were attributed to bursting bottles. They were not such as would come from cartridges. He noticed no dominant smell after the big explosion. “It was a double ■ explosion,” said Angus J. McCurdy. A lesser one was followed by a tremendous crash like the sound of a large calibre gun. From the sound of the explosion, witness thought it was caused by a high explosive. He stated that he had had considerable experience in handling the latter. James Toohill, who was in full view of the budding and retained all his faculties, was able to give a. connected account of the explosion. During the progress of the fire he heard a small hoorn sound, followed by a louder one, and immediately after the latter terrific outburst, the roof lilted off. Pieces of wood and sparks were thrown high into the air. lie hoard several explosions like detonators.