The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-19 00:00:00

LOSS OF LIFE AND SEVERAL PERSONS

SERIOUSLY INJURED.
The utmost excitement was occasioned yesterday through-
out the borough of Greenwich, arising from a terrible ex-
plosion by which a great amount of property was reduced
to ruin, and one man was killed, and several persons se-
riously, and, it is feared, fatally injured. The scene of this
disaster was the extensive manufactory of Mr J. Bother, of
38, King William- street, City, but whose works are
situated at East Greenwich. The premises formed 'nearly a
parallelogram, and were used as steam saw mills and creo-
sote and alum works. That part of the building comprised
the steam-boiler house, 70 feet by 60 feet; the engine-
house and alum stores, 50 feet by 60 feet, tapering off at the
end to only 21 feet. From the inquiries made of the offi •
cials at the works, it appears that the workmen commenced
their work at the usual hour in the morning, and the steam
being up the work progressed in its usual way, and not the
least danger was apprehended of any part of the machinery
being out of working order, but all of a sudden, just as the
clock chimed half-past seven in the morning, a fearful scene
presented itself. In the first place, a loud explosion oc-
curred, resembling the discharge of a piece of artillery,
but upon looking out of their windows the inhabitants
were convinced that a fearful occurrence had taken
place in the vicinity of Greenwich, for the frag-
ments of the boiler and engine-house, as well as the
alum stores, were falling to the ground, after having been
blown high into the air. At the same time, immense vo-
lumes of dust were hovering over the buildings, and it was
some minutes before the exact nature of the catastrophe
could be learned. A glare of light shining through the clouds
of dust showed that a fire and also an explosion had taken
place, and the neighbours and police at once rushed to the
scene. They then beheld as the dust cleared away a fearful
sight—the boiler-house and engine .house, two substantial
brick and timber buildings, hurled to pieces, the boiler blown
into a mis-shapen form, and the alum store similarly de-
stroyed. The cries of Several men told at once that the work-
men had not received sufficient warning to enable them to
escape with their lives before the explosion took place.
The rubbish was removed as quickly as possible, when
one man who was employed on the premises, named Anson,
35 years of age, was found frightfully burned and scalded,
The medical gentlemen of the district promptly attended,
and upon examination of the poor fellow he was pronounced
to be quite dead. The body was removed for an inquest tQ
be held by the coroner.
Four other workmen were next extricated, who were also
most frightfully injured, so that they were obliged to be re-
moved to the Dreadnought and Guy's Hospital, but the
nature of the burns and scalds they have received leave little
hope of their recovery. How the other persons working
near escaped appears quite a miracle.
The engines from Penn's engineering works and other
firms in the town, as well as those of the parish quickly at-
tended, and an express was sent off to London for the aid of
the brigade. Mr. Henderson, chief officer of the D district,
upon receiving the news started with a couple of engines to
the spot. A plentiful supply of water having been obtained,
the firemen and the inhabitants at once went to work, but
the stock in the open yard having become ignited, to get the
fire out was a work of difficulty. Alrhands, however, kept
to their work, and eventually they succeeded in getting the
fire extinguished. The total damage is very considerable,
I and is thus officially reported by Mr. Henderson to the in-
surance companies forming the London Brigade:—
"Nov. llB, 1863—Called at half-past 7 a.m. tc!__a fire
at the premises of Mr. J. Bether, steam saw mill pro-
prietor, and creosote and alum works, East Greenwich;
eDgila94 that attended, two Of D district and til9oe of the