Today in New Zealand *Disasters* History 28th March

[JennyLeez]

THE UPPER HUTT EXPLOSION
SATURDAY 28 MARCH AND SUNDAY 29 MARCH 1914
SIX LIVES LOST
TRAGIC FIRE AT UPPER HUTT
EXPLOSION IN BURNING STORE
SCATTERS DEATH AMONG BAND OF HELPER
POSTMASTER AND CONSTABLE AMONG THE DEAD
TWO RAILWAYMEN KILLED AND SEVERAL WOUNDED
ORIGIN OF EXPLOSION A MYSTERY
(Evening Post 20 Mar 1914 p7)
Shortly after midnight on Saturday (28 March 1914) at the township of Upper Hutt a tragic calamity occurred. A small store was discovered to be on fire just before midnight, and in the interval before the fire hose could be secured a band of helpers, including many local residents and railwaymen, entered the burning building and endeavoured to save as much of the stock as possible. While they were thus engaged inside and just outside the store a terrific explosion occurred inside, and completely wrecked the whole premises. Four men were killed outright, one died soon afterwards, and a sixth man succumbed to his injuries shortly after reaching Wellington Hospital early on Sunday morning.

Several others were more or less severely injured with the flying debris and burning timber, and, after being attended by a number of doctors, who, hurriedly summoned, were quickly on the scene, were conveyed by special train in record time to Wellington, where they were received in the Hospital.

The less seriously injured had their injuries tended, and were able to get back to their homes. Many people had miraculous escapes in the fatal rain of flying debris, which spread havoc among all the surrounding property. The windows in the adjoining buildings, the Provincial Hotel, and in the Post Office across the main road, and in dwelling houses and shops much further away were shattered to fragments by the force of the explosion.

After the explosion, the fire consumed the wreckage, and assailed and gutted the next building – a drapery store. It was finally suppressed, early in the morning, after the worst was done, by a party of fire-fighters, with one lead of hose.

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