GREAT DISASTER

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10488, 27 November 1911, Page 5

GREAT DISASTER

CABLE NEWS

(United Press Association — By Electric Telegraph — Copyright.)

EXPLOSION AT OILCAKE WELLS

THIRTY-THREE PERSONS KILLED.

APPALLING SCENES

(Received November 25, 12.10 p.m.)

LONDON, November 24. A most disastrous explosion occurred at Bibby's oil-cake mills, Liverpool, resulting in tliirty-three persons being killed and at least 100 being so badly injured as to have to be sent to the hospital. The majority sustained ghastly injuries. When the explosion took placo there was a cannon-like roar. The huge building shook so violently that tho 400 employees were inrown to the floors, which seemed to be shooting out flames.

Tho roof was blown off, and showers of debris descended in the neighbourhood of the mills.

Some of the walls of the building collapsed. The rest of the mill was soon aflame. There were appalling scenes. Hundreds of workmen who crowded into the streets were covered by vivid yellow oil-cake dust. Scores of others were imprisoned in. the upper floors. They crowded to the window-sills, whore they awaited the fire-engines. A boy was wheeling a bread van in the street was killed by a. falling door. The explosion, commenced in tho socalled "devil's collar," where a "devil" crushed the oil-cake into meal.