GREAT EXPLOSION.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3462, 16 April 1920, Page 3

GREAT EXPLOSION.

G./s.SOI\IETER DURS'I‘S.

SENSATION IN MELBO URNE.

Without warnizig other than u rumbling like disfzmt thunder one of the: largest gashol(B='rs of the .\let.ropolitan Gas Company at Port T;\.[elboul-m.-., burst at half-past. ten 6’c.lo(:k on the morning of April 4, and a column of flame lsoft in dialnH'el' lezipt fully —£ooft into the air. The heavy iron roof of the holder was hiirled like crumpled paper against one side" of the iron staunches that .~:uppol'ted the envelope. The holder had contained 2,000,000

4:111,-it feet of gas, and while this was ‘burning the noise, according to peopic living in the neighbourhood, resembled the roar of stoxun oscapixxg from :1 thousand engines. 'l.‘hel'c was little or no wind at the time, but the flames seemed mon_len’r:ll"l].y I'o envelop the y2n'd.<, sending out 1102111 so infense that many people living in the vicinity were scmrchcd.

One of the most rem:n'k:lble features of the ucc.u.rrenee xvus the trifling extent of the damage caused to premises outside the area of the works. Leaping from the top of the gasometer the flames burnt furiously high in ‘the air.‘ The heat beneath was illtens.e. Grass was scorched and withered in an instant. Paint peeled off houses,‘ gates, "and windowsills, and children playing in the streets were singed and blistcredf When the fire. was at its height one great. sheet of flame leapt down upon the retort-house, which. occupies a block to the north‘-east of the gasholdel'. Worlmlen in the yard were almost lifted ufl’ their feet by the

-._vn.:L':s>lion. Several WC-I'o thrown] down. and '1: was reported rhaf one of} (hem! had Sl“.-.~‘.‘:l.ille(l rather severe; burns on one leg. Premises’ a. littlei -.'“ul't]lcl' ax-nay fared worse flmn those] ixnmediafoly n«ljoinillg;’ A wooden! Outhouse in the block of‘ buildingsi used in ,thc' mzlnufzletul'e of m(3tersl and sfo\‘e>‘ <:::ug_7;h'r firo,'~ilnd was dealt! with by 9. d(‘T2luhlnellt of the fire bri—? gade. " ' ; After The o.\;plosion- the huge gas-§ holder still hot, appeared for the most part as a shapeless mass of crunupled. steel. Of the greater part of the cir<:mnf9rence only a narrow rim v;onl:line€, where the centre portion had been torn away cleanly at 3. joining in the plates. -In’ the... gaping aperture thus made could be seen ‘the nla.<sive wooden fr-amcwol'k of the top of the g:a.~'}mldel'.. the main beams 12in by (Sin in t.h,iekl;,ess..-sol'no of them split by the force of the ex- ‘ plosion. . As the fimnes shqt ..,l_l,p\\'al‘dS the serious da111e;_;ro ~,\\-'a,§.,; cOlkfi};l-ed to the [gesollle’(el'. -Hgi'd-'_tl_}e fglés§§‘,. been out"wurds Hmrc must hav-evhbcen loss of

life and (~xt«lg;§ive dzlmage to the bnilding.= in tlle~vvic=:i:,a_liit-y.. ..