The Hutt Explosion

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 267, 9 April 1914, Page 5

The Hutt Explosion

THE ADJOURNED L\(>| i.sr. EXPERT EVIDENCE TO BE CALLED. By Telegraph—Press Association. Upper Ilutt, Weditcsdui. I The inquest, on the vjttims of t,h.- Upper Hutt tragedy on March i!» whs resumed to-day before Mr. W. .Riddell,. District Coroner. . Before the ]irc,feedings recommenced, Mr, C. B. Morrison, K.C., who appeared for Messrs Hengc and Pratt, the proprietors of i.lie building destroyed, made a IcngMiy statement regarding the position' of his clients. Messrs Benge and Pratt were in the position of defendants. ami were liable to be called upon to answer serious charges. In regard to the statement that a quantity of gelignite vast mi (lie premises, he admitted that about February « something like 501b of that explosive was purchased and stored in (lie shop. Evidence would show that every stick was sold before the date of the tire. He desired that the police should state the case fKlly,be(ore eitlu r 'Messrs Benge or Pratt w:lk called. lie asked this in common justice. He also inuntioncd his intention of calling Professor Eastertield and other, experts relative to the probable cause of the explosion. He claimed that this evidence should come after the police evidence. Chief-Detective Broberg said (he police were relying on the fact.-. 11' Mr. Morrison called expert evidence lie would require to rebut the same. The coroner thought the application only fair, and decided that evideiuv. «f the facts must come before expert evidence.

Mr. Wilford, for the relatives »f deceased, also intimated his intention of culling' axperis if necessary. Evidence would be called to rebut- the theory tluit the explosion was caused by acetylene gas. Continuing his .evidence, Andrew Hunter stated stated that 110 water wag played on the fire prior to the explosion. ■ The gas could not therefore liavu been generated. The explosion caused a Hash of blue light. Much formal evidence was .nivrn l>y a number of witnesses, throwing tin li'yht on - the cause of the explosion. H was stated that the explosion did nut, take place until fully half-an-hour'after the tire was discovered.

Geo. Hay said there were a number of minor explosions after the main explosion, which at the time e.v\- attributed to bursting bottles. VI ivy w>re not such as would come from ca'fridges. He noticed no dominant smell after the big explosion. It was a double explosion, said Angus X MoOurdy; a lesser one followed by a tremendous crashiike the sound of a large calibre gun. From the sound of the explosion witness thought it was caused by a high explosive. He slated that he had had considerable expen.-i'i-a in handling the latter. ~ •rallies Toohill, who was in I'fill view of the buiMing and retained all Iris tenuities, was able to give a eomiei-ted 'account of tile explosion. During the progress' of the fire he heard a >:>iall booming |sound, followed by a louder one, and immediately after tin- latter a terrific outbreak. The roof waj. I'.iU'd oil, and pieces of wood and spa; ks v. wv thrown high into the air. lie bard several explosions like detonator-,. Albert F.'ttoopcr, 13 years of nav. said that at the time of the (ire In-' wa» in the employ of Benge and Pratt. !!,• wax ■aware that the (inn kept gelignite and blasting powder in stock. He hod scon a ease of the former and a keg o- !,lasting powder on the premises at oie- (~-ae. The explosives were kept upstairs. Taere were times when there was no ;:"!ii:nite in stock. He remembered a tasi- of gelignite coming into the shop >i'i I'ebruary ti. It was taken upstairs, where lie last saw'some of it two or three xv-ceks before ilie fire. He last s:uv gunpowder in the room nboiti Christma's time. Witness was not altogether surprised at the explosion. He was surprised, at its force however. f.-ie had never seen calcium carbide in the main building at all. To Mr. Morrison: He did not remember lienge making a drawer.out of a gelignite box. ' The keg and hoy might have been empty. He bad imji- seen gelignite sold on tiie premises. t