WELLINGTON.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 4051, 22 December 1881, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

Wednesday. A dreadful accident occurred on Lambton Quay this evening. At 7.15 a loud explosion was heard, and it was discovered that some blue fire composition in rear of Messrs Brand and Sons, chemis.t's shop, had exploded. Mrs Anthony, wife of the manager of the business, who was in the yard with her little boy, three years old, received terrible injuries, both hands being blown off, close below the elbow, heir right leg broken below the knee, her jaw broken, besides the face cut and gashed. She was taken inside, and medical aid obtained. The several injuries were attended 10, after which the poor sufferer was taken to the Hospital, but no hopes are entertained of her recovery. The child fortunately escaped with a few slight bruises/ Mr Anthony, and others in the shop, are at a loss to account for the explosion. They had been making blue fire composition during the forenoon, and found it to be dangerous, as some of it exploded and singed the hair "of an assistant. About half a pound of the mixture was left in a mortar, and Mrs Anthony suggested that the best way of getting rid of it would be to wash out the mortar with water, and it is thought by many she was in the act of doing this when the explosion occurred. The report was heard fully half a mile away. The mortar was shattered to atoms/ the fragments being found at a distance of 100 yards. The affair caused great excite* ment in town and great sympathy is expressed for Mrs Anthony., Mrs Anthony has since died at the Hospital. , '