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A TERRIFIC EXPLOSION
in
BURNING'BUILDING BLOWN
UP.- .
*'
FIVE MEN KILLED, SEVEN
INJURED.
WELLINGTON (N.Z.), March 29.
At midnight on Saturday a fire broke
out at Upper Hutt, 20 miles from Wellington,
in a general store occupied by
Benge and Pratt. The townspeople
hurried to the scene to assist in salvaging
goods, but while they were still occupied
in doing so a terrific explosion occurred.
Five men were killed outright, and
seven injured, one of whom has since
died. Those killed were: -
frames Comesky, postmaster.
Flynn, railway guard.
Taylor, railway porter.
Mahoney, contractor.
* Vivian, assistant storeman.
The injured were: -
McGovern, settler; Pelling, blacksmith;
Taylor, jun., railway porter;
Hagnn, caretaker of the rifle range;
Walter, signalman; Costello signalman.'
As the burning building showed signs
of collapsing, Mahoney said he would
go in and got the "boys" out. He got
out two of those inside, and had just
entered the door a third time when the
explosion occurred. The explosion completely
wrecked the store and the neighbouring
buildings, find the post office
clock stopped. Big pieces of timber
were hurled a chain away, and the hotel
next door was riddled as if it had been
shelled by field guns. Every window
in the neighbourhood was smashed.
Taylor's head was almost severed from
his body, and Flynn was buried beneath
the debris, portions of his legs
and arms being missing. Mahoney was
blown to pieces, the only means of identification
being a pair of handcuffs
found close to the remains. It is not
known what caused the explosion, but
acetylene gas is suggested as the cause.
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