The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-01-29 00:00:00

BOILER EXPLOSIONS.

A terrible boiler explosion occurred in the infirmary
at Tiverton, on Saturday evening, when the water in
the pipes connected with a self-filling boiler,'lned to
heat the establishment, having become frozen, the
steam had no outlet. Three persons were in the room
at the time. One a lad of thirteen, was killed on
the spot, and a woman was also seriously injured:
Upon the tires be lighted for the purpose of heating
St. Mary's Church, Addiscombe, Croydon, for Sun.
day's services, two boilers in connection with the
apparatus exploded with terrific force. Fortunately
there was no loss of life, the occurrence being prior to
the time of worship. One of the attendants was
injured.
Another kitchen boiler explosion has occurred at
Liverpool, this time with fatal consequences. The
explosion was at the house of Joseph Whitley, 69,
joiner and builder, -122, Farnworth-street, who was
blown down a flight of stairs into a cellar and
killed.

On Saturday afternoon a kitchen boiler exploded at
67a, St. James's-street, London, when Elizabeth
Alussell, aged 60, and her daughter, aged 20, who
were in the room at the time, were severely injured.
They were removed to a hospital, and the latter died
shortly afterwards. The kitchen was greatly damaged
by the explosion, and several of the windows in the
house .were broken.

On Saturday a serious boiler explosion occurred ai
the residence of Mr. J. B. Page, at Kibworth. It
appears that the pipes connecting the kitchen boiler
with the bath-roem became frozen, the consequence
was that the confined steam finding no vent burst the
boiler into fragments and rendered the kitchen a com-
plete wreck. The servants happily escaped, having
just before entered the back kitchen.

A man named Spicer, aged 52, living at Blackheath,
has been killed by the explosion of the kitchen boiler,
at the residence of Mr. Willis, Woodville-road. On
Saturday evening, Spicer undertook to thaw the
water pipes at Mr. 'Willis's, and for that purpose lit a
,fire in the kitchen. After a while there was an
explosion, and the lower portion of the premises was
shattered. Spicer was afterwards found much
injured, and in a dying state. Both his legs were
broken. He was conveyed to the Cottage Hospital,
where he died. The house was greatly damaged,
windows and brickwork were blown out in the
kitchen and breakfast-room, and portions of the
boiler were found embedded in the walls. In the
dining-room above, where members of the family
were sitting, the hearth was broken in two. A man
who had been assisting the deceased had just been
sent up to do something to the cistern when the
accident occurred.

A boiler explosion of a serious character occurred
on Tuesday evening at the national school connected
with the parish of St. Nicholas, Newbury. The
school-rooms are warmed by a hot-water apparatus,
and, owing to the severity of the weather, the boiler
burst, upheaving the flooring, blowing out the door,
and doing other damage. The slates of the school
children were broken into fragments and the ink was
scattered over the ceiling.