TERRIBLE EXPLOSION AT PORTSMOUTH. Many Killed and Wounded.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 196, 26 March 1887, Page 3 (Supplement)

TERRIBLE EXPLOSION AT PORTSMOUTH. Many Killed and Wounded.

On tho night of Sunday, 2nd of January last, Portsmouth was alarmed by a loud report, which arose from a terrible explosion at Cambridge Barracks, which is attributed to an explosion of gas. The scene of the explosion waa the three barrack rooms, rising one above the other, in the block of buildings almost immediately facing the entrance gateway, At the time of the occurrence the number of soldiers in the three rooms could not be estimated with accuracy, but it is generally believed that there were between 20 and 30 men in the three rooniß. For a little while after the explosion the fact was not very generally known outside the barracks, but ineide the gate it was painfully apparent. The report was followed by a concussion, which broke tho windows of almost every quarter in barrackß, and stones, bricks, and woodwork were hurled with great violence right across the parade. Immediately attention was pointed to the direc ion from whence the sound proceeded, and those first on the spot were amazod and terrified to see that the entire front of tho threo tiers of bar-rack-rooms in question had been blown out bodily into the equare, and what ju9t previously had presented au unbroken front of substantial buildings was noching short of a terrible ruin. The devastation was complete and appalling. An examination was made as speedily as possible, and it was then found tint in addition to the front wall being demolished, both floors bad fallen in, and thif, with other debris, had imprisoned many of the occupants of the rooms. On the wall being blown out the floors were naturally relieved of their tier and supports for the joists, so that they at once fell, burying the occupants of tho rooms beneath the debrh. The top floor, after falling for some little distance, stuck fast at the inner side, permit! ing the outer end to fall slantwise to the basement, and thus formed a speciea of lean to roof against the back wall and effectually imprisoned the unfortunate sufferers. Willing hands speedily set to work to release their comrades, and the nature of the casualty having been ascortained steps were at once taken to adopt every neceesary measure of relief First some of the lower flooring, which had fallen on to tho bed cots on the room in the basement, had to be shored up, and the utmost care and caution had to be exercieed in removing the timbers which kept the unfortunate fellows firm prisoners, in order that further miehaps might not happen. The lower portion of the mas? of woodwork wan chopped or sawn away by a party of Royal Engineers, in order to get a sight of the poor fellows, who were long ingly awaiting their assistance Even when the upper floor was sufficiently cut through to admit of a person crawling through with a lamp, still further obstacles were met, being formed by the debris of the firet floor, the materials of which were twieted and broken into an indescribable network of confusioi. To still further facilitate matters a hole was cut in the wall separating the lower room from the barrackroom in tha rear, and through this aperture some of the rescuers groped, but though they saw gime sickening sights they were able to do but little practical good, owing to the immonFe puperincumbent weight. Attention was, therefore, principally directed to the cutting away and the removal of the obstruction from the front. Pick, shovel, axe, saw, and crowbar were busily applied, and occasionally when tho rescuers felt they were nearing an entombed comrade, silence was called whilst they tried to make out from the voice the direction in which they should make for his recovery. Several men had a narrow escape, one of the most remarkable being that of a young soldier who was blown out from the top story on to the parade, and beyond a few bruises sustained no hurt. In fact, after "pulling himself together" he joined the relief parties. Another was just coming out of the barrack-room door at the time and was blown into the passage, The force of tho explosion was such thai; the door of the room on the other side of the corridor was blown from its hinges, the furniture knocked about, and the windows smashed. Seeing the nature of the disaster, the inmates of this room leaped out of the windows into the equare. On either 6ide of the demolished rooms the wails, and especially that on the east eide, were greatly cracked, and bulged to such an extent that the authorities deemed it advisable to set up strengthening shores. In the room adjoining the centre barrack-room the force of the explosion was greatly felt, and a child of Colour-Sergeant Foster, together with its mother, on the story above, and many others bad narrow escapes. Owing to the manner in which the upper floor fell, most of the bedsteads there were shot into the barrack square, and helped to swell tho items of confusion which were heaped around. The night was bitterly cold, and at times rain fell heavily, but the work was kept steadily at until about 20 had been rescued, and then it being believed that all who were alive had been got out, at three o'clock operations' were temporarily suspended until daylight lent its aid to the task of seeking out those who were known to be past human help. After a careful overturning and examination next day of tho debris the result of the efforts of the workers was to bring to light the bodies of the following men, which were brought to the surface, viz : — Privates Gateley, Keay, and Spiers. Theae bodies, which were greatly knocked about, were placed in ambulances and conveyed to the mortuary at the Military Hospital. The wounded men takento the hospital were as foUows : —Private JLong, wound. —Private Wilkes, fracture —Private Rowlands, contusion. — Private Adams, wound.— Private Wakefield— (since dead). —Private Prince, wound. — Private Colley, contusion.— Private Cooper, contusion.—Private Neath, contusion, -Private Perrin, contusion. — Privat9 Orton, contusion, — Private Bridger, contusion. — Private Quarrel, wound. — Corporal Cotterell, contusiou. — Private Jones, contusion. — Private Burns, fracture. — Private Westbury, sprain. During the day two more bodies, recovered from the debris, were conveyed to the Mortuary, but their Barnes did not accompany them.

Hero ,is a good Irish etory. We fancy it has not been in print before : — A pair of " victims " are waiting behind the hedge for their landlord— guna loaded, cocked and ready for aotion. It is past the time at which he was expected to po^/s by. Still they wait and wait until at last they become uneasy. " Bedad, Pat," says Tim, f• I hope notbin'.haa happened to the poor Quid jin tieman 1"