FATAL EXPLOSION AT DUNEDIN.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2162, 18 May 1886, Page 2

FATAL EXPLOSION AT DUNEDIN.

|BT TELEGKAPH— PRESS ASSOCIATION. I Dunedin, Monday. A katal accident occurrod just about five o'clock this atternoon. The unemployed working in Dowling-strect (a cro^s street from Princess-street) have been firing blasts within the past few days. Just * little before five a blast was let off, and either through too much powder being used or nut sufficient blinding, or probably both, thu atones, some of them of very large size, were hurled tome distance away. Some fell in Princess-street, usually crowded at that time, and nn f.xpresHiniin is said to have had his thigh fractured. A number fell on the roof aof the shops in Prince-w-street, and one largo one which came crashing throught the rcof of the London Photographic Rooms crushed and instantly killed Mrs Finch, sister of the wife of the proprietor. Mrs Irvine herself, who was sitting working at the same table, had her skull fractured, and her recovery is doubtful. Two other ladies sitting in the room receded •light injuries. As the blast took place in n deep anting about 80ft., and the stones must have passed over intervening houses the force of the explosion may be judged whon it is stated that the London Photographic Rooms are fully 150 yards distant from where the blast took place. Showers of stones fell on the houses in the vicinity, while a chimney of one was wrecked. The fascines used for blinding woro found about 80 yards away. The blasting operations are said to have been in charge of one of the unemployed, who received an extra 6d per day. .