1879 – FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT.
A frightful accident (says the Warwick Argus), resulting in the death of one man, named William John Burton, and injuries more or less serious to seven others, occurred at the Big Tunnel, on the Stanthorpe railway works, about half-past 11 on Thursday morning.
From particulars gleaned from trustworthy sources, we learn that deceased and the seven injured men were at work on the bottom heading of the tunnel, Burton being engaged charging a shot. In the hole he had first inserted a considerable charge of dynamite, and on top of this was placing powder, a man named Mawby being engaged pouring in the powder, while deceased pressed it down with a copper bar. The powder was being taken from a 25 lb. keg which was standing close by, and the shot was the third or fourth of a row, the others having been already charged. Burton was standing nearly erect over the hole pressing home the powder, when, in consequence it is believed of too great pressure being put upon the dynamite, the charge exploded with terrific force.
The fire from the first explosion ignited the powder in the keg, and the other shots, all of which exploded, filling the tunnel with stones, flame and smoke. The shots being well placed, enormous blocks of the stone were shifted, and when the smoke had cleared and lights were procured, a frightful scene presented itself. Stretched across a huge boulder, his body and limbs torn and gashed to a frightful extent, lay the unfortunate man Burton, while around lay his fellow workmen, two of whom were very seriously, and five slightly wounded, the blood from their wounds besmearing the stones in all directions. The position in which the unfortunate man Burton was lying indicated that he had been blown completely off his feet; his clothing was torn almost to shreds, and his watch shattered into fragments.
The men employed at the top heading, which is about a chain further in than the lower heading, are said to have had a narrow escape from suffocation ; the fumes of the powder and dyna mite being so dense that they were unable to extricate themselves until the arrival of assistance from the mouth, a man named Ridgeway pluckily rushing in to their rescue: A messenger was immediately despatched to town for medical assistance, and about half past 6 o’clock the same afternoon, Dr. Taylor (piloted by the company’s overseer, Mr. D. Cameron) arrived on the scene, and attended to the sufferers. It was found that of the seven men injured, three were seriously, and four only slightly wounded, the wounds in almost every case being caused by the jagged edges of the flying stones. The body of the unfortunate Burton, and the other five who had been more seriously injured, were brought into town yesterday afternoon; the former was interred in the cemetery, and the latter conveyed to the hospital.
We understand that Dr. Taylor does not anticipate any further fatal results, though three of the men are dreadfully cut and bruised. The names of the killed and injured are as follows: — William John Burton, aged 23, single, native of Cornwall, killed; Edward Mawby, John Donovey, James Roberts, Joseph Austin, and Edward Neat, seriously injured; and P. Mara, and E. Varley, slightly injured.
Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld.: 1872 – 1947), Monday 1 September 1879, page 2
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