Upper Hutt Catastrophe

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 258, 30 March 1914, Page 5

Upper Hutt Catastrophe

A Midnight Explosion Seven Men Killed and Many Injured A Mysterious Affair By Telegraph—-Press Association.

Wellington, Last Night. At midnight lust night, a fire broke out at Upper Hutt, in a general store occupied by Benge and Pratt. Townspeople hurried to the scene to assist in salvaging goods, and while they were so occupied a terrific explosion occurred. Five men were killed outright, and seven injured, one of whom lias died since. THE LIST OF KILLED. The fatally injured were:— ' Constable Denis Mahoncy. James Comesky, the postmaster. William Flynn, railway guard. George Taylor, railway porter. Michael Toohcy, bridge contractor. John Wesley Vivian, assistant store-

Hie lire. Fortunately there was no wind, otherwise the town would have been gutted.

The, destroyed building was an old (two-storeyed structure built about 40 years ago. The building and fittings "•ere insured for £275 in the Commercial L'nion office, and the stock for £IBOO in the Guardian olliec. Hazelwood's grocery store next door, a brick building, was burnt out, only the walla being left.' This was insured for £9OO in the Alliance ofliee, and the slock for £IBOO in the same office. The Provincial Hotel, on the other side of Benge and Pratt's, had all its windows broken and holes knocked in the wall by flying debris. The explosion was heard at Kitiwarm, nearly 20 miles away, while at Lower Hutt and Petone, it is stated, the ground shook perceptibly. In Upper jlfutl itself, the force of the explosion j was so great that windows were broken [half a mile away from the fire. The acetylene gas generator supplying the shop lights at Th-ngc and Pratt's was situated in the. shed at the back, and is said to have been in good order. The explosion simply wrecked the whole place. Constable Mahonov's body was so badly mutilated that it was only recognised by means of the handcuffs. He was about forty years of age, and leaves a widow and three young" chidlren. He lmd been about live years at Upper Hutt. Guard Flynn was about 35 years of age, and leaves a widow. Comesky had been in charge nf (he Upper Hutt post oilice for about two years. He was 57 years old, and leaves a widow and grown-up family of seven. Vivian was about .15. but no details of his family are known. Tooliey was about 2S, and is said to have been employed by the Maymorn Estate Sawmilling Company. Taylor, who was killed, was 21 years old, and was employed at the Hutt.

THE INJURED. V. McGovern, member of the Town Board. .•■ ,] ; ,i.Edward Pulling, blacksmith. "' George Taylor, junior railway porter. James Ilagan, caretaker of Trent-ham rifle range. Charles Walters, a signalman. T. Coslcllo, a signalman. The lire was discovered by Constable Mahoney about 11.45 p.m., and the partners of the firm were notified, and people in adjoining premises awakened. Ma. honey and others began to remove goods from the shop. This was «ontinucd for some minutes, till fears were expressed that the building would collapse and bury the men working inside. "GET THE BOYS OUT."

Constable Alahoney said he would go in and "get the boys out." He is said to have brought out men called Slot I and Vivian, and entered the store a third time. Just as he had entered the door an explosion occurred, completely wrecking the stoTe and seriously damaging neighboring buildings. The post oflice clock stopped at nine minutes past 12 o'clock. SERIOUS DAMAGE. The force of the explosion is indicated by the fact that big pieces of timber were thrown a chain away. The hotel next door was riddled as if it had been shelled by a field-gun. Every window in the neighborhood was smashed completely. • Flynn was the guard of the midnight, up-train, which had just arrived from Wellington, and Taylor, the junior porter at the station, had just arrived on the scene when the explosion occurred. They were apparently both at work on the footpath in front of the store. Taylor's head was almost completely severed presumably by flying plateglass, l'lynn was buried -beneath the debris, and when found portions of his legs and arms were missing. A TOO ZEALOUS OFFICER. Conicsky, the postmaster, as soon as he saw the lire, went to the office of Edwards, a carrier, at the corner of the Tiiiriiing store, and started to remove the telephone. He was doing this when the explosion occurred. He was found later in the street, with a heavy window sash on him and portion of a wall on top of this. He was still breathing, but died within a very short time. Tooliey was standing on the balcony at the corner of the Provincial Hotel, next the fire, playing a small hose on the side of the hotel. The force of the explosion blew him back on to the verandah, and he was badly injured, dying after admission to the hospital. Cralitree, the licensee, who was standing beside Toohey, was thrown to the ground, but escaped unhurt. Vivian was found lying dead on the ground, .fust how lie met, his death is not known. Of the injured men, Walters was assisting to remove drapery, and was blown right across to the other side of the street. P.esies those whose names are mentioned, a number of others suli'ered minor injuries from the Hying debris, The injured were attended to as quickly as possible, medical assistance being •iiimmoned from Lower llutt. and at 2 o'clock a special train left for Wellington with the most serious cases.

The cause of the explosion is unknown. The owners say there were no explosives in the shop, which was. however, lighted by acetylene gas. KOMI'; XAllliOW ESCAPES. PARTICULARS OP THE VICTIMS. Wellington, Last Night. Some narrow escapes are recorded. A man named Broad, a clerk in the railway station, was helping to carry goods out of the shop, and,'limling the smoke and I heat too much, went outside. lie was just out of the door when the explosion occurred. lie was unhurt. Another man. named Thomas, was blown right across the street and was unseat lied. Several others liad almost similar experiences. Vpper Ilutt has just had a water supply service installed, lint docs not possess a fire, brigade. There is only one lire hose available, and this was used to good effect in preventing the spread of