GAS EXPLOSION.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 58, 12 July 1884, Page 3

GAS EXPLOSION.

(From the Auckland " Star," July 5.) Shortly after half-past one o'clock this a ftcrnoon an alarm of fire Mas rung out upon the central firebell in Albert-street, and was immediately taken up by the bell at the Grey-&trcet junction. People gathered rapidly in the stieets, and eagerly inquired of each other in which direction the fire lay, but no one appeared to know. After some fivo minutes' incertitude and oxcited hurryingkither and thither, a currentof people, headed by several helmeted members of the Brigade, sefe in towards Lower Queen-street, and it soon became known that Mr F. Lewieson's jewellery establishment was the scene of action. The members of the Fire Brigade, who with their active Superintendent, Mr IJughes, had mustered very promptly, at the same time ascertained that their services were not needed, as the sole cause of the alarm had been an explosion of gas, which by acth'e preventive measures had been prevented from developing into a fire. It seems that a strong odour of escaping gas having been perceived in Mr Lewisson's shop, one of the assistants got up on a ladder, and proceeding with the aid of a lighted match to scan the pipe which runs along immediately under the ceiling, suddenly the flame of the match eucountered the escaping gas, and with a noise like the report of a cannon it ignited and exploded. Mr Lewisscn *fc once turned off his gas at the meter, and one of the ceiling boards was torn off to make sure that the lire had not penetrated. This was the only damage. It was subsequently discovered that a i-at had eaten a hole in the gas-pipe, thus accounting for the escape. The report of the explosion caused great consternation in the neighbouring establishments. An elderly gentleman, who was undergoing tonsorial attentions at the time under the artistic hands of Mr Shortt, leaped up in his chair, and in consequence received a nasty gash on the chin. The person who rang the firebell seems to have done so too hastily. All the damage done will not involve the expenditure of more than £1 or so for repairs.