The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1879-11-18 00:00:00

EXPLOSION AT THE GAS WORKS.

SEVERAL PERSONS HURT.

Shortly after Woe o'clock on Thursday morn-
ing, the inhabitants of Bell-strset, ttunlgaleetreeç
and Selisbury-terraoe, were startled by the sound of
• loud explosion; it was also hard in High-strew, and
even on Fordington Green. The cause was so u
boned to have been at the Gee works whence some
persons were raining with Aorta received from the
explosion. It was found that the covering of the large
pit Into
liato which is conveyed the gas Wand ammooiacal
liquor had been blown up, and those near had been
I off their feet, and burled to the ground. Mr.
Henry Payne wee able, with a shock and wounds on
the back of his head and his forehead to go to his
brae in Trinity-drat, but Mr. G. blasters walked to
the Do. set County Hospital; Mr. tbutonds,• gardener,
went home with a severe shuck, and hrulas to the thig
sad Mr. F. Eyre., shoemaker was al.. hurt. However,
we aro glad to Bad that alter recovering he firat shock,
the injuries are not considered by the sufferer, Do great
as war at first lanced; Mr. Masters 'oeing able to
return home s Ms son being also hurt in a minor
degree, having received • blow at the side of the eye.
Mr. H. Lock, chairman of the company, soon j deed
Mr. Gentood. the manager, wit, had been close by at
the time of the accident, Mr. Vatcher, Mr. Sounder.
• director, Mr. Coward, several of the police. an:l
many inhabitants were soon there. The tank is a
circular one about 25 feet diameter, lined with brick,
and covered at Use top with ypbalte, concrete, sad
brickwork, supported on large iron girders. It was so
effectually covered that it formed part of • rectsn,ta-
kr yard. bounded on the north by workshops and old
indioetor-house, on the east by the engine-house, the
retort-bonsai are on the south, and ...1 the west
the yard extends towards the new Indicator-house,
11111 tank being so close in the eat of the yard, that
when the top was torn off, only • narrow path
remained around it Mod the alterations, the hot
coke front the retorts, having been pa tly quenched
with water, haa been deposited outside the ret .rt
house, and thus about two or three ton, were over the
tank on that aide, and Mr. Mayers and his mon,
and Mr. Myren were there fetching sumo of the
coke, Mr. Masters with • donkey and cart ; Mr.
H. Payne war actually over the tank, as was also
a wapoc belonging to Messrs. Crocker and Co.,
and Mr. Symonds was creamiest to domino work in Mr.
Ossnorid's garden. Jost as another barrow had bests
brought out, the explosion occurred, the top being
Mown out sad girders, coo:rote, an I asphalts ant
khttaontrwards, as were the unfortunate persons near.
received the hurts we have described, Mr.
Masters% donkey had its kg broke., and was obliged
to be killed, MOW& Croaker's wawa fell bodily
back, and the under part, wheels, P.c., were imbedded
In the tar, and the yard formerly each a Wilk of neat-
ness and tidiness, at ores was littered with stones,
shattered pieces of concrete and asphalts. The butt
ponces having been attended to, a wehavenanted the
next enquiry was as to the exact of the damage. And
hers It le rather apprising to ode that the explosion,
though
a.bmaking • great noise, and extending over •
la madam, did not appear to have brokers
many, if any, of the very nonser.us panes of glees in
the buildings that surrounded it. Two panes in the
Milimhouse, and • few more in the workshops and
.indiostor house, were all that could be seen,
and we are assured that the greater
Sot of these had been broken before. RI in
the new indicator loose were quite intact The ruia
of the tal, was comakte In all pelts, the tank being
open mu the analog had never bees on andthis upward eff the force of the explosion itlatatd
In have beta ial.dvafly directed in • northerly
direatim howirds the old indicator hers, or mirth-
maiiimly. fat on that aide amoral mama al brick,
were aMo blows outwards, cawing great
tammalies in the sides of the teak. Twotnaaft
time of what Wight have been • frightfully
dlassamos madam may be observed. Had the
expiation mmarred a quarter of an hoax later, there
probably have lama many people in the roll,
"v coke s of them would very hasty
' she two or three toss
; artaialy the

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