FATAL GUNPOWDER EXPLOSION.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 268, 17 August 1872, Page 3

FATAL GUNPOWDER EXPLOSION.

[From the Times , May 20.] At an early hour on Saturday morning a dreadful explosion occurred at Westhongliton, a village about 5 miles from Bolton, one person being killed, four others seriously injured, and two houses comoletely wrecked. The scene of the catastrophe was a block of buildings owned by Mr J. Caldwell, situated opposite the White Horse Inn, at the corner of Chequerbcnt-lane. The premises in which the explosion actually occurred were two stories in height, and were occupied by Mr George Hunt, provision dealer, draper and clogger, whose family consisted, in addition to himself, of wife three daughters, and a son. An apprentice, named Thomas Magnall, aged 12 years, also lived in the house. Being resident in the centre of a mining district, Mr Hunf dealt largely in gunpowder for blasting purposes, and on 'Saturday lie had no loss than four barrels, each containing lewt., stowed beneath the staircase leading up to the second story. All the family, with the exception of the son, bad got up, and the two eldest daughters had gone to their work. It is not known how the explosion was caused, but it is supposed that Mrs Hunt had gone to the powder with a light in order to get a small quantity to clear out a flue, when a spark fell among it, and ignited it. The shop front was immediately blown out, and wails, bedrooms, and roof all collapsed. Adjoining Mr Hunt’s was a locked-up shop, occupied by a draper. This also, was utterly destioyed, and its contents scattered about the street. Mrs Hunt herself, who was 54 years of age was hurled into the middle of the cartway., where sln> was found dead, with her clothes and hair in flames. She was so frightfully disfigured as to bw scarcely recognisable. L’ln* body was at once removed to the White Horse, where it a vaits the inquest. Mr Hunt was upstairs in the a>-t of awakening bis son when tin* explosion occurred. Hun !r ds f persons were speedily «ttrn-'t■ • i to t e spnt, and a number of them pr c -ded to res’me tin* snffe ts. Tnis. however, was a task of on bhi iII diffi ulty an I dan>*i r, as tin* furniture and spars caught fir , nd the Han s were rapidly extending. A couple of barrels of powder were observed in close proximitv to tli* fire, and one lna e fellow, nam d Nathan Parkiugton, a Leers Her an 1 dogger, removed it to a place of safety at the risk of his own life. Tins man was afterwards injured by the fall of a stack, of chtir.nies. Tip* other two barrels of powder ary su pos-d to have exploded. Mr Hunt whh fmin I lypiiT on the simp flour, covered w h brick*, pices of tiui mr, &••-. H * was removed to the house of Mr llp'inas Dickinson, provision dealer, close by, when s verul of his rips were d;A overed to h * finotur d. He was also t. rribly burned, and had a number of wounds about his head and body. Little hopes are ent - tained of his recovery. The attention of tin* spectators was drawn to Thomas Hunt (the son) by bis cries. He was found lying in a bed which bad fallen to the ground floor, and he was also covered with timber, &e. Fortunately, bis injuries a e exceedingly slight. The daughter, CD ra Hunt, aged 10, and the apprentice were clearing the lobby at the time of the explosion, and they were discovered m ar each other. Both were badly bruised and burnt, and Magnall bad bis head fast among the timber, and was surrounded by flames. They were removed to the bouse of William Critchlv, a collier. All the sufferers were attended by Dr Pickering and Mr Bringloe, surgeon, who were speedily on the spot. In the meantime messengers had been despatched to the other end of the village for the fire, engine, and on its arrival the flames were soon subdued, water being conveyed bv scores of willing workers from the pit of MrSilcock, m the vicinity-