Fatal Boiler Explosion.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 295, 7 May 1889, Page 3

Fatal Boiler Explosion.

A hobbible death.

Mslbocbns, April 94. It would appear that dimeters, like ordinary misfortunes, "never come singly," for it Was only on Monday that the Bijou Theatre was destroyed by a fire, ia which two poor fellows lost their lives, and to day we have to record a boiler explosion, by which a youth named Ernest Pitt lost his life, and * man named Lyon was seriously injured, Which occurred at the fire proof safe making establishment of Nosers Pitt and Co., in Bedford street, North Melbourne, a short distance from the point where the Sydney Road, Bodford street, and Peel street converge opposite the Haymarket, Messrs T. Pitt and Co’s establishment is a small building of about 60ft x 25ft, built of corrugated iron, and contained machines of various kinds used in the business for the purposes of drilling, punching, and shearing the plates of which safes are made. The machinery was driven by a small two-horse power engine, which was placed on cop of a vertical boiler, from which it was supplied with steam. The boiler had only, so far as the employes in the place are aware, been in use for about throe UN, although on thia point there is nc carHurt* J* *“«*!? « “*• of the lad MUMd Kraut Plri, egod if yean, a ton «

the proprietor, to attend to the ongino and boiler. He had passed the necessary examination and held an engine-driver’s oertifloate. The foundry was closed on Thursday afternoon, and work was not resumed until this morning at a quarter to eight o'clock, the usual hour of starting. Prior to that, however, young Pitt was at the place and had lit the fire and got steam up. There was plenty of water in the boiler, for it showed half way up the gauge-glass, the taps of which wore tried and found to be perfectly clear. There was about 401 b pressure of steam to the square inch, the ordinary working pressure being about 451 b, and the safety valve blew off at 501 b. It seems that the valve had .been corroded as is usually the case with boilers which have not been used for some little time, and the common practice in such cases ia to " ease " or lift the valve np and down, so that the steam shall blow out any accumulated rust. It was thus, at a quarter past 9 this morning, that the unfortunate young man Pitt was engaged when not only those employed in the place, but the residents for a considerable distance round were startled by a terrific explosion, which sounded as if a heavy piece of artillery had been discharged. For nearly a minute the employee could not tell what bad happened, owing to the place being filled with vapor and dust, but when it cleared away a sad scene of desolation met the horrified gaze. The unfortunate lad Pitt had literally been blown to pieces, the various portions of the body being scattered all over the place, one leg being thrown through the open door on to the roadway in front. The face and head were horribly mutilated, and tbe body presented a sickening sight. Senior Constable Rivis, of North Melbourne, who resides in the vicinity, had just finished bis breakfast and at once proceeded to the place. He gathered up the remains and laid them in an adjoining shed, there to await the coroner’s inquest. The foundry was completely wrecked, tbe root being almost entirely blown off and portions of the walls demolished. Under a sheet of galvanised iron, which had formed past of the roof, was found a man employed in tbe place named Richard Lyon, aged 29 years, married, and a resident of Brunswick, He was in an insensible condition, and was removed to the Melbourne Hospital, None of the other employee in the establishment suffered guy injury, although how they escaped is a marvel. The agricultural machinery works of Messrs M’Cslmsn Garde and Co. adjoin, but no injury was sustained, although a boy etanloyed In the office was by the force of the concussion knocked off a high stool, apd the pictures on the walls were all turned awry. The force of tbe explosion may be imagined when it is stated that the engine cylinder and tbe fly wheel 4ft in diameter, and weighing four hundred weight, which was attached to the engine, was hurled a dis. fence ot fully 80ft., where it struck a, 9-inoh brick wall of a newly erected nail factory, which it penetrated, aqd lodged in a gal. vanised iroq tank Used in connection with a gas engine. AMr Bell,' who works usually just at that spot, was providentially away for a few minutes, or otherwise must have bean killed by the falling bricks. Injury was done there to some machinery, the damage being estimated roughly at £5O, The residents of the neighborhood were, as may he imagined, very much startled, move particularly those Hying on the opposite side of Bedtord-street, the glass ot the windows in which were tor the most part broken by tbe concussion of the explosion, Borne of the windows of the Ji). 8. and A.C. Bank, which is at the corner of Sydney Boad and Reel street, fully 120 yards away, were also broken, The outer plates of the engine itself were completely torn off. It is said that about four {months ago there was a slight explosion of the boiler, which was repaired by Messrs Campbell Sloss and M'Cann, It was a very trivial affair, and did not necessitate the putting on of a new plate, So fat as can be ascertained there were no patches on the hpiler, which, however, is said to have been leaking somewhat,