DISASTROUS EXPLOSION AT LEITH.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1531, 13 July 1886, Page 3

DISASTROUS EXPLOSION AT LEITH.

An alarming explosion, attended hr fata- ennsrqnenocß, took place on the 12th April at th« Leith Flour Mills, the i-rop-rty of Messrs Alexander and Robert Tod. The explosion oceurred about 12.30, noon, and resembled the firing of several pieces of artillery, while the roof of part of the mill was at the name time seen to rise into the air, and the walls were thrown out into the streets on either side of the building, i An immense flame at the same moment shot up into the air, and was followed by volumes of steam from the boilers, Aid was very promptly on the spot, among the first to arrive.being the crew of H.M. Gunboat Elk, then m dock at Leith, and a detachment of artillerymen Irotn - Leith Port. Tim fir* was soon mastered, and a (march was then made in the ruins for dead or injured persons, Two little hoys who had been playing outside the building, and the scavenger, who was fit his work there, were found to have been killed. Two other little boys were seriously hurt, and one of them afterwards died.. Two of the men employed about the boilers had made their escape earlier, but they also subsequently succumbed to their injuries. Ihus six deaths in all resulted from the accident,, which is, believed to have been caused., hjd the ighition of floordust in the receiving room, where it is collected by a series of shoots and a set of fans. It is said that a single spark would have been sufficient to explode the dust. The damage to <he- mills was not, after all,so gri-at as might have been expected, In 1874 the mills were destroyed by fire, when the spectacle was one of great magnificence, lighting up the sky for a great distance ; and the damage then caused amounted to £15,000, which was covered by insurance. The mills •re amongst the largest of their kind in Scotland.