EXPLOSION AT OHAKUNE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 35, 16 May 1916, Page 3

EXPLOSION AT OHAKUNE.

SIX MEN KILLED IN A QUARRY. Per Press Association. Wellington, May 15. The secretary of the General Post Office to-night received a telegram from the postmaster at Ohakune, stating that an explosion had occurred : in the Public Works quarry at Ohakune, resulting in six men being killed land two others being'injured. The names of the dead are: Melsopp, Larking, Oavies, McGarry, Torrens, and McKay ( PMcCall). The injured are Sheehy and Morgan. j There are no further details at present. particulars of the workings eicht Men in the tunnel. / '\"\ 1,1 Wellington';'May 1(5. It is understood that the explosion at the tunnel near Ohakune occurred at s.3o'yesterday afternoon. ■ ■ ; The quarry belongs, to the .Railway Department. I The Public Works Department is at present building a railway from Oha- , kune to Raetihi, and as a good deal of material is required for ballasting purposes, the Department obtained the right to take the metal from the quarry . in question, and were working it at the time of the explosion.

The practice in getting out metal is to drive a tunnel into the face of the mock and put a heavy charge of exploit \i[,e''so, as to bring own from 800 to iloflG^tans' ! down. 'front-the' face. '•-'■•■•;■'

.'Jn the present case, it is stated that tlVCitminels had been driven,'.and the Inert ;had taken, tko, explosives in. ;. '.Thqre were in'all 'eight moil in. the tnnnflL.at, the time; ■ of' 6 the -explosion, Mellsbp being w'fth' them.', Np; 't'l'iebry 1 ran be advanced 'at present :for the cause of the explosion.

|| Mellsoprand two other's 'werei blown clean out of the tuimel.' n : ;

THE DEAD AND INJURED. May IG. The men were..loading a drive witn explosives, which were to have been exploded 'next Wednesday, when a premature explosion took place, burying some of. the' nien; and blowing others clear, j .- t j- • , Two fuses had "been put inland the search was delayed for fear of a second explosion. '; .a;,— » ,v. The men killed are:- ~1 ;. ; ; G. H. Mellsop, assistant; engineer. SHI. Larking, cadei?"!' 'J ' •■'' Davies, oyersejer. McGarry, '".,- *®E. Torrens; laborer..,. ■.■■ :j ,. J , i Another whose- na'mo. is, unknown. Three bodies "'■were' recovered ■ last night and two this morning. One has not yet been recovered. Men wore got from Hunily and they are continuing the search. Many tons of stone came down. 'f Wo of the injured men were brought to the Taihape Hospital. Thoy are 'both laborers, named Michael Sheehy and H. Morgan. I