KEROSINE LAMP EXPLOSION. NARROW ESCAPE OF THE POSTOFFICE BUILDINGS. SERIOUS INJURY TO MR TAYLOR.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 635, 15 June 1876, Page 2

KEROSINE LAMP EXPLOSION. NARROW ESCAPE OF THE POSTOFFICE BUILDINGS. SERIOUS INJUR Y TO MR TAYLOR.

Lr is with .'egret, wo li-wo lo roeord tho very serious injuries inflicted upon our worthy postmaster and tulo.jr.ipliiNt, Mr T.iylor, by tho burstiiitr of tho Lirjje kerotauo lump in tho Pobt-ollijo lobby, on Tuobtlay evening last. It appears th.it about Irilf-p.ist ton o'clock on Tm-sd.iy niijlit, T.i} lor pioceoJed as usual to pub out tho new Limp wliidi li.is been recently oivototl over tlio t'mli^ht of tho ontranco d->ui* to the ou.er room in tho I'u.H-oOice, and in turning the wick down the Limp auddouly uvploded, po.u'imj a ni.iss of liq id fire ilo, vu upon hn lumil and bliouldcrs, and o»'oi tlu) lijol ot tku luO «i. jXuv r

'thele.s Mr T;nlor, heull.^s of him. self, conti iViml to tlinmt cut tli ; l.tiiip wit'.t th(! s,e utor jo -tllt 1 1 of the koro-ano imto the open simcc otiKide the Ij'iiiili iijj, to which nctof ion siL'ht tii- 1 sw'fvT.v of the bnildm j; i^ nodo'ibt iirlob'-u 1. Mo^t foi-hm »'"!>. tm, MY H lw,»rd («i\a uiinntoor two ix'lWi'h \«l Jotcrmincl jiromms to leaving the towu&k\p for home to go to the l'o»t-ollico n.inl see if tlicro -were any lettuis in Ins pTh.tle box, atid enti'ivJ tlio Post-office loM>y (or tlr.it purpose just in time to Tiiid Mr Taylor in a complete st.ito of bewilderment and helplessness, with his hair ou fire and the llciinos playino- over his face, and tiio upp t ]>AVt oT his clothes Mr Cox happened to foa%e u Honk on his urni-, and with i;r«tit presence! of mint] threw it over Mr T.i\ lot's head and shouldeis, and kejyt ifc pressed thero till the flame was extinguished. U« then turned his attention to the fire, which w.xs burning freely ou the floor and walls, where the blazing liquid had fallen, and without much difficulty succeeded in beating out the flame, which as yet feeding- on tho kerosine was only burning over the woodwork, ami had not got f.tir hold of it. Wo regret to say that Mr Taylor has been very severely bnnieil, so much s© as to incipacitate him for some weaks, probably, from the performance of his public duties Medical attendance was at once procured, aud n demand for assistance for tho ciwiying- on the duties of postmaster and telegraphic at once forwarded by tolograin to Auckland.