DYDAMITE EXPLOSION. A NARROW ESCAPE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 279, 7 July 1888, Page 2

DYDAMITE EXPLOSION. A NARROW ESCAPE.

A loud explosion, accompanied by vibratory motion, was beard in and around Te A roh a last Wednesday night about half-past ten, and all kinds of conjectures were advanced as to its origin, many believing it to be an earthquake in the vicinity of the Aroha mountain, whilst others took it for an eruption in tha "Waihou district. The circumstances of the affair, however, are of a less sensational character being merely an explosion of dynamite on the Auckland Agricultural Company's property at Waihou. It seems that T this dynamite, sufficient in quantity to remove about 60 tons of earth, was stored in the whare belonging to a labourer named McGuire, and was used by him for removing snags from the river and such like work. The whare was some four chains off the cottage in which McGuire is living and contained at the time beside the dynai mite some clothing and brushwood. The immediate cause of the explosion was from the whare taking fire, McGuire was awakened by a crackling noise shortly after ten and on going outside he saw the whare in flames. He attempted to save some of his clothing and in this act he narrowly escaped with bis life for he had no sooner left the spot than the explosion occurred, which of course carried all before ifc. The cause of the fire is a mystery. The explosion occasioned considerable alarm in the district which did not subside until its nature became known. Some slight damage was caused to the buildings in the immediate neighbouihood and the vibration am"? the flames caused by the explosion was felt a considerable distance off.