PECULIAR ACCIDENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 February 1939, Page 8

PECULIAR ACCIDENT

MAN BADLY INJURED BY EXPLOSION. SODIUM CHLORATE & MATCHES ICrNiTE POWDER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) TAURANGA, This Day. A serious explosion of blasting powder occurred in Welcome Bay, about four miles from Tauranga, resulting in G. Dunton being badly burnt on the left hand, arm, face and body. Mr Dunton had been engaged during the, afternoon blasting logs. Shortly after four he returned to his house carrying in his left hand a bag containing about five pounds of blasting poWder. He slopped near the back door to talk to Mrs Dunton. At the point where he stood water was dripping slightly from a tank above. The drips apparently caught on Mr Dunton’s left-hand trousers pocket, in which there was a small quantity of sodium chlorate and a box of safety matches, and soaked through, causing the sodium and matches to ignite. These in turn ignited the powder, which exploded. Mr Dunton caught lhe full force with his left hand, which was very severely burnt as well as his arm. His clothing caught fire and was torn off by Mrs Dunton and others, but Mr Dunton suffered burns in portions of his body and his left leg was severely burnt. He was sent to the Tauranga Hospital, where it is feared he may lose the sight of his right eye.