Narrow Escape from a Disastrous Explosion.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5001, 22 January 1885, Page 2

Narrow Escape from a Disastrous Explosion.

FIBE DISCOVERED JUST IN

TIME.

One of the narrowest escapes from a serious explosion which it has been our lot to chronicle for some years past, occurred last night on the premises of T. and S. Morrin and Co., ironmongers, &c, Burke street, Grrahamstovrn, under the following circumstances :—About ten o'clock last night Mrs Faull, mother of the cabinet-maker of that name in Owen street, noticed a smell of burning, but as she could not discover any fire on the premises, she sent for her son, who also made a search, but, though he could delect a strong smell as of oily rags burning, his search for any signs of fire was likewise unsuccessful. He then went to Symington's Hotel, saying he would be back shortly, but Mrs Faull continued tbe search, and at last heard the crackling of wood blazing in the oil shop in Morrin's yard. She again ran to the hotel for her son, and he, followed by Mr W. S. Laurie and others, proceeding to Burke street, saw the glare of the fire. Mr Faull ran for the police, soon meeting i Constable Herbert (in plain clothea). By the lime they got back a number of persons had collected. The door of the shed wag securely padlocked, but seizing some bars of iron, Messrs Laurie, Faull, Herbert, Leslie, and Bond quickly wrenched it open, and saw &ome waste blazing on top of a barrel, a small wooden box (containing dynamite caps) having likewise iguited. Without delay '

the box (which it was then sup posed contained such harmless articles as tiutacks, &c.) was carried outside, and Mr Gentry having brought some water, the fire on it was first ex tinguished, and afterwards that on the barrel was put out. The whole affair, after the fire was seen, was over in a very few minutes, but the escape was none the less providential. The top of the oil barrel is almost burnt through, and had the oil caught the conflagration would have been difficult to get under, as a large number of other barrels of oil and turpentine were stored in the shed. The most serious danger, however, was from the caps, of which there were about 3500 in the box, which is burnt through at the corner, and the, paper wrapped round the packages' scorched. Another minute or two's delay, and the heat would have caused an explosion, attended by disastrous consequences to adjoining property. The person who carried out the box was unaware of the dangerous character of its contents, and fortunately this was not discovered till after the fire was out, or a small panic might have been caused. As it was, as soon as the fact was made known, several bystanders at once " made tracks."

As to the origin of the fire, there seems no doubt but that it was spontaneous, and not the slightest suspicion attaches to any one. Mr Chas. Hill, storeman, says the caps are always kept in the oil-room, as there they are not so likely to get knocked over, or in any way suffer concussion. Several weeks ago he put some oily waste' under the box to steady it, and also to prevent concussion in the event of any article happening to fall and strike the box. It is this waste, it is admitted on all sides, which has spontaneously ignited, and started the fire. Mr-Hill and a customer were in the shed about four o'clock yesterday afternoon, but they were the oDly persons who entered it that day. The shed was locked up at 5.30, and was securely fastened when the fire was discovered. It is no uncommon thing for waste, saturated with oil, to ignite spontaneously, and we are informed this has frequently occurred both at Mr Kenshaw's shop and at the Big Pump, while similar testimony could no doubt be given by many others on the field.