No.42. Tunstall. ([Fig. 19.])
July 28th.
2 killed, 7 injured.
Fig. 19.
Boiler, 36ft. 6in. long, and 8ft. 9in. diameter, 7/16 inch plates, with flat back and hemispherical front end, 36 lbs. A tube 3ft. 3in. diameter, passed from the back end nearly to the front, and returned to the back end, but of 6 inches less diameter and then passed to an iron chimney. The fire grate was beneath the hemispherical end.
The angle iron of the flat back end gave way, and separated from the shell and with the tubes attached was blown to a good distance, and the reaction drove the shell far in the opposite direction.
The cause of the explosion was the bad construction of the boiler, as the back end was quite unsupported, as there were no stays, and the bend of the tubes was not attached to the shell.
An adjoining boiler which was being cleaned inside by two men, was rolled off its seat by the force of the explosion.
No.43. Widnes.