BIG EXPLOSION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9612, 5 October 1909, Page 5

BIG EXPLOSION.

1 ONE BUILDING WRECKED AND SEVERAL DAMAGED. NUMBER OF PERSONS INJUKED. MARVELLOUS ESCAPES. United Tress ..ssocintion—By Electric Telegraph Copyright. Received October 4, 10.30 p.m. SYDNEY, October 4. A tremendous explosion occurred to-dny in the extensive premises occupied by the East Sydney Pharmacy Company in the centre of the city, the building being completely wrecked. The fronts of several adjoining shops were blown in, and practically all the windows within one hundred yards radius were shattered. Ceilings and fittings were wracked and destroyed. An outbreak of fire followed the explosion, and spread from the chemist shop to four adjoining premises. Though the Brigade quickly got the fire under, the flames and water added considerably to the losses. Besides the Pharmacy Company,, who suffered seriously, damage was done in the promises of — Anderson, grocsr. Griffiths, grocer. Russo, fruiterer Frosbey's furniture warehouie. Wertheim's Sewing Machine Company. Euroki Hall. Two Hotels. Flying debris and glass destroyed large quantities of stock, this espec ially being the case in the hotels, valuable bottled stuck being broken. Houses on the opposite side in Willima Street and Riley Street present the appearance of having undergone a fuailade. Two chemists, named Binder and Sharp, were on the premises at the time of the explosion, and had a marvellous escape bharp was pinned under a mass of debris, and was surrounded by flames. Binder was knocked over, and was lying among the ruins. Both men were rescued, but had been severely burned and lacerated by the flying glass. Sharp remains in the hospital, where there are four others who are being treated for hcerations received in the street from flying glass. Luckily most of the shops were closed, the bulk of the people being away watching the Eight Hour procession; otherwise the casualty list would have been much heavier. Two heavily laden trains just got clear as the explosion occurred. Sharp states that he was boiling a couple of gallons of camphorated oil on t u, e counter when the liquid ran over and flared up. In endeavouring to extinguish the flames the vessel was upset, and an explosion resulted.