EXCITING EXPERIENCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 March 1942, Page 3

EXCITING EXPERIENCE

ESCAPE FROM FIRE. MAN JUMPS INTO DRUM OF WATER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, March 18. With his clothes aflame as the result of an explosion of inflammable spirit near which he was working, a man mitigated the extent of his injuries by jumping into a drum full of water. His sister, who was conversing with him, also suffered burns, but not of such an extensive nature. Those concerned were Charles Soar, single, aged 41, labourer, and Mrs Gladys May Easton, laboratory assistant. Both were admitted to hospital suffering from extensive burns. Both Mrs Easton and Soar are employed by Easton Products Ltd. It is believed that the explosion and fire occurred when a tube became disconnected from the gffs ring on which a compound was being boiled in a brick shed at the rear of the premises. Almost instantaneously with the first explosion in the shed the yard was a mass of roaring flames. The covered way connecting the two buildings was quickly ablaze, and had they displayed the slightest hesitation in getting clear the two victims would have had small chance of escape. Mr Soar jumped into the drum of water and then made his way through a fence to safety. The fire brigade effected a remarkable save in keeping the flames from the main building.