The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-07-17 00:00:00

FRIGHTFUL BOILER EXPLOSION
AT BLAREDOWN.
_
FIVE NEN INJURED.

A frightful explosion took place at Blakedown
Works, yesterday, belonging to Messrs. J. Brad.
ley and Co. These works are situated in a val.
Ivy at Blake'own, and within 160 yards of Mr.
Bradley's house. The explosion took place at
h ilf.past ten o'clock. There is manufactured at
the works uses, cart harms, stem bars, boat
knees, &c. There are two tilt bummers, one
furnace to herd the plates, and two men and a
boy engaged in the works. But there were others
engaged at the time of the explosion doing re-
pairs, and hanging a beam, and putting down a
shaft, and the steam was being got up to com-
mence working. At the time of the explosion
the men (five in number) were engaged by the
grinding stone erecting the beam, and a man
named William Harrison, whole engaged at the
work., told hie son Denis to go and abut the
steam off, and he bad just returned to whore his
father was, when a frightful explosion took
place, which according to reports, was heard to
a great distance. The whole of the works,
which stunds on a considerable piece of land,
was blown to pieces. The roofing, which was a
double span, beams, and work were all blown
down, and nothing of the works remains. The
whole of the brickwork was blown down, the bed
of the boiler was torn to shreds, and a large
portion of the boiler was blown into a pool some
forty yards distance, A portion of the bricks,
tiles, and timber were blown into adjoining fields,
and near to the house, a distance of 160 yards.
The Waco presented a sad lipeetaele, large quan-
tities of timber was blown high into the air, and
fell into some tall trees, where it remains for the
present. The report soon brought assistance
et hand, who at once began to regime the men
from among the debrii. The first Mau rescued
was William Harrison, who sited out that his
sou Deuia, was lanrlJd in the ruins, A large
quintity of timber Red tiles were removed, and
gin lad who is about la putt s old, was got out la
a fluty mangled state, vomiting blood.
Tee boiler woe ell feet lung, end 4 feet wide,
and from what we can learn had been used there '
fur some ten years, Red Was in the charge of
Kerrigan, the elder, at tho time of the explo.
sion. The boiler Wan eneaeed in brickwork, and
was what is called in ehape an egg.end huller.
We examined the boiler, stud ROide parts of it ,
were not more than half as thick as a sixpence,
and it appears to have been in work a long time.
Me. Streetou and Mr. Cowen, surgeons, were
Immediately sent fur, and four of the sufferers
were couveyed in a spring waggon to the Kid-
derminster Infirmary.
A boy named George Cartwright had a very
natrow eseve. he went to the works, and was
there at the time cf the explosion. One of the
large beams LB and knocked bins down. He
got up, aid %ale in the act of getting away,
when unuther large piece of timber fell, and had
it net have canulit on seine part of the d, tei.i he
untAt have been killed. At the time lie had is
steel plate in his hand, which was completely
doub!ed up. The boy crept under the beams,
and was not injered, beyond the fright.
The following is it list of the casualties :
William Harrison (married, with six children)
contused brain, and other injuries about the
head. Deuis Harrison, his son, serioua scalp
%vowel, and concession of the head, and other
illigrieß. Benjamin Hall, serious scalp wound,
and slight concussion of the brain. Edward
Carpenter injured in various parts id the body.
Charles Maybury, several cuts ou the head, Itud
shoulder injured. George Cartwright injured.
During the afternoon it was currently reported
that Harrison awl his son were dead. We can-
not vouch for its correctness; but we believe, at
all events, that very little hopes are entertained
of their recovery. The others are not so seri-
°wily injured.