EXPLOSION OF GAS IN WEL LINGTON.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2804, 3 July 1890, Page 2

EXPLOSION OF GAS IN WEL LINGTON.

(liv THl.KlillAl'll.— I'IiKSS association). Wku.incton, Last Night. AliOl'r hulf-p.ist eight this evening Messrs Cato and MeLellan, accountants, entered the strong room of the National Bank, Laii'bton Quay, and struck a light. A violent explosion immediately followed, and Cato was knocked down, while McLclhm was severely burned about the face. Kxactly opposite the strong room is an entrance to the bank, and the plate glass in the inner door was shivered to fragments nnd the heavy double outer doors were torn off their hinges, and thrown on the pavement in a shattered condition. There were three windows in the front wall belonging to rooms of which the donrs happened to be open, and the plate glass in those windows was also shivered into small pieces, and hurled across the roadway, which was covered for yards. The Venetian blinds were torn up, and in one instance entirely thrown out into the street in the shape of matchwood. Considering that they were in the direct lino of the explosion, which was powerful enough to smash up a doublo set of doors, Cato and MeLellan had a wonderful escape with their lives. No damage was done to the bank nor the room itself through which the whole of the blast passed exeept that two lamp globes were broken, and little was done in the strong room beyond blackening and slightly charring books and documents and some injury by water. On examination it was found that one of the gas-pipes had a large hole in it. Strange to say no one happened to bo passing the bank at the time though in one of the principal thoroughfares in the city, otherwise they could scarcely liavo escaped serious injury from the shower of glass and wood. The bank is exactly in front of a tram crossing but no cars were there at the time.