The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-09-10 00:00:00

SHOCKING EXPLOSION /iT SHEFFIELD.

LOSS OF EIGHT LIVES.

A terrible accident occurred at Messrs. Vickers,
Sons, and co.'s River Don Works, Sheffield, on Tues-
day afternoon, resulting in the loss of eight lives and
iniury to several workmen: The disaster occurred in
the steel melting house, where a gun jacket was being
cast. The metal, weighing about 50 tons, exploded
with a tremendous report, which was heard several
miles away, and shattered windows at a distance of
half a mile. The furnace burst in all directions,
and most of those who were in the neighbourhood
of the furnace were killed or seriously in-
jured, one of them, James Edge, being blown
to the top of the building, while another workman,
named Holland, had the top of his head blown
off. The explosion naturally warned everyone upon
the works that something very serious had happened,
and there was quickly a large number of hands on the
spot ready to assist. The scene which met their eyes
was a terrible one, for men were lying about in all
directions. They were not slow to get to work, how-
ever, and through blinding steam and dirt they
carried the injured to places of safety. Messengers
were at once sent for medical aid, and amongst the
first to arrive were Dr. Hamel, of Brightside, Mr.
Toyn, Dr. Martin, and Dr. Shaw, and they rendered"
invaluable assistance to the wounded. Four men
were got out of the debris dead soon after the acci-
dent, and a fifth corpse was extricated several hours
afterwards. Six other men were badly mutilated,
and were conveyed with broken limss to
the infirmary. Three of them subsequently
succumbed, and a fourth is not expected to
recover. Outside the building great excitement pre-
vailed, the doors being besieged with women whose
husbands were employed upon the works, and some
very distressing sights were witnessed. The following
are he killed: Job Holland, the foreman, who Ni
almost decapitated; William Glaves, Henry Walker,
Henry Woodhall, Frederick Colson, John Murray,
Samuel Edge, and James Edles, the last three dying
at the infirmary. Woodhall was employed in another
department, but he had gone to the foreman with a
message, and the foreman himself had only returned
from a holiday on Saturday. The most seriously
injured are: John H. Race, aged 23, Fitzalan-street,
burnt on the arms and face, and a broken leg; George
Earnshaw, age unknown, apparently about 50, Amber-
ley-street, burnt on face and arms; and Edward
Belk, aged 48, Amberley-street, burnt on the face,
arms, and chest. The cause of the accident is not
definitely known, but it is supposed that the metal
came in contact with water.

On Tuesday night a Paris correspondent telegraphed
that he has heard on good authority that M. de Brazza
is to be recalled to France from Africa with little like-
lihood of returning as Governor of the Congo. The
same correspondent also added that MM. Jovis and
Mallet will start in a few days from Dieppe to cross the
Channel in their balloon, the " Horla."
From Cairo it is reported that the Nile is very high,
and that floods have occurred in certain localities.
A telegram from Bt. Petersburg says that Russia will
take possession of the territory assigned to her under
the Russo• Afghan Frontier Commission on Oct. 14.