, 1888-10-24
Explosion at Pin. Herstel1ing,
Dem0rara.

AnZaccident, OccaSioned by the expio-
sion of the vapOur generated within a clo-
sed but empty rum-butt, occurred on the
morning of the!3rd inst. at Pin. Herstell-
ing on the East Bank of the Demerara
River, but was happily attended by com
paratively slight injury to the rum store
in which the butt was situated, and by no
loss of human life. Early in the morning
the head cooper of the estate, one James
Adams, along with two OF his SubOrdl-
mates. was despatched to the rum store to
cooper up the r%um-butts, which had been
empty for the last six months, preparatory
to their being used for the reception OF
newly-distiIled rum. While his two com
paniOns were engaged looking after one OF
the butts, Adams attended alone to
another, and, after inspecting the outside
climbed to the top, with the intention OF
examining the inside for any leaks that
might have escaped his notice while out
side. For this purpose he opened the
manhole door placed in the head u Tue
butt. and, after feeling in the dark recess
without accomplishing his object, p,oCnr-
ed a lighted lamp, which be lowered grA.
duallv down into the butt. When the
lamp reached about IS inches below the
top, and white the man Adams was kntglng
over the hole looking IN, the fame OF the
lamp came INTO contact with the m1@m-
mable vapOur Of the rum which was &'ne-
rated Within the vessel by means OF the
heat of the weather intensified by the gal
vamlsed Sheeting which covered The Ium
store, and an explosion occurred, the re-
port of which was represented rs beng as
loud aS that OF an ordinary cannon and as
heine heard for some miles around The
man Adams, whose garments Immediate
" took fire, along with The entire head OF
the butt, was by the immense force OF the
explosion, driven through the roof Of the
store. carried about 20 feet INTO the air,
and after twirIiug round, ultimately dropp.
ed into a pond, on the edge OF which pro,
videntiallY the store was erected. Adams
fell upon his face into the pond, but had
the presence OF mind and the strength to
swim for terra tjrnd. On reaching dry
land, he fell down i'll great pain and with
the life nearly knocked ont OF him, caused
bv the wounds received on his head when
that part of his body was forced into VIC,
lent contact with the roof of HE store, and
by the burns which he had sustained on
various parts of his body, particularly his
face, stomach, and arms. The c0nSterna-
ton into which the report Of the explosion
had thrown the greater portion OF the la
bourerS employed in the buildlngS-Inany
OF whom had run to Il considerable dis
tance to Secure their safety az from an
unseen foe-having partially subsidized, the
unfortunate man who so thOughtIesSly ell
dangered his own life and that of his fell
low workers on the estate, was carried to
the estates hospital, where he was short
ly afterwards visited by Dr.. Veendam, who
applied the usual remedies. The man st
nIesont lies in rather a pitiable condition,
although his state is considered far from
1aing precariOus, and he is expected to be
4aite we'll again in a week or two The
damage done to the store itself is c0mpa-
ratively trivial, Had the store been, what
is called closeboarded on the roof, the cou-
sequences would have been much more
serious, for, if the force of the explosion
had been sufficient to drive the boards
out, the man would have sustained sever
er injuries by far, by being driven against
shem, or, if the force of the explosion ha0
rot been sufficiently powerful to effect
this, the man must have fallen within the
area of the store, where he might have burn
ed to death.-Daily Chronicle, (MGiI
Edition. Septr. IA.