The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-30 00:00:00

THE, EXPLOSION AT SHOREDITCH.

We published yesterday an account of a shocking
explosion of gas, which took place in Shoreditch,
causing damage to about 30 houses, and severely
injui ing several persons who were on the spot at the
time. Several of these were toot to tho boapital.
The unfortunate woman, Mrs. Smith, was at-
tended to by Mr. Adams, the house surgeon of the
London Hospital, but such was the serious nature
of the burns, and general shock to her system, that,
according to the statement of the house surgeon,
she lived not more than a few minutes after her ad-
mission. The same official informed our reporter
that there were two boys and two men still remain-
ing in the hospital ; and a little girl, who had been
also removed to the same hospital, under the surgical
treatment of Mr. Adams, was so far recovered as to
be able to be removed to her home. The other
four cases, although of a serious character, are not
expected to terminate fatally.
The scene of the desolation which was presented
yesterday was such as can hardly be described with
any degree of accuracy. That portion of the street
where the explosion took place having been left in
total darkness during the night, at daybreaz men
were employed in shoring up the tottering build-
ings. The house of Mr. Hayes, bootmaker, which
suffered the most severely, was, as has been before
stated, blown to the ground, but it seems that the
inmates must have received some premonitory notice
of the gas escaping, and lodging in the basement of
their house, as they all ran away, with the excep-
tion of one man, who stood at the door, and he was
hurled a considerable distance by the force of the
concussion.

The actual cause of the catastrophe is to a certain
extent differently stated. The contractors for the
main sewer in course of construction attribute it to
the main pipe of the Commercial Gas Company,
which ran under the pavement and passed over the
archway of the houses forming the cellars, being
defective, and the gas escaping into the premises
occupied by Mr. John Hayes, at No. 151, it became
ignited in the cellar, blowing up the front of the
house, tearing up the pavement, and causing the
party-wall of the adjoining house, 150, to fall down,
the force of the concussion from the explosion
shattering the windows and fronts of ten houses.
On the other hand, the inspectors of the Commer-
cial Gas Company attribute it to the weight of
superincumbent stonework breaking in the arch
and tearing down the pipes. It is certain, however,
that the explosion first took place in the cellar of
Mr. Hayes's house, as the portable engine and the
main beams and uprights of the sewer are not dis-
Luibea, cacupt xst, that puruon or Mr. IlayeS'S house
blown up. Soon after the occurrence Mr. Superin-
tendent White, Inspectors Osborne, Broad ,and Den-
by,w ith a strong body ofpolice from the Spital-square
station, were on the spot, and took every precaution
to prevent any further accidents. Very little damage
was done by fire, as the mains were cut off and secured
from Rose •street to Brick-lane, thus putting a stop
to any further escape. Mr. Hayes, with his wife
and child, the only inmates, smelling the strong
escape of gas, fortunately ran into the street and
escaped. The whole of the front of the house is
torn out, the back and flooring, with part of the fur-
niture, remaining. By direction of Mr. Reeves,
the police-surveyor of the district, the works on
both sides have been boarded up, and the houses
adjoining that of Mr. Hayes shored up; the latter
is insured in the Scottish Provincial.
Information has been forwarded to Mr. Hum-
phreys, the coroner, of the death of the woman
Smith. The inquest will not take place before to-
morrow.