222 Explosion of a Gasometer. 
this place is the reservoir of gas for supplying Blackfriars-road 
and the adjacent streets, The gasometer was quite new, and at 
the time of the accident contained about 160 tons of water. 
John Morgan, an engineer, was thrown from the gasometer full 
ten yards over the wall of Mr. Andrews’s premises in Green-street, 
and killed on the spot. The damage done to the neighbourhood 
was very considerable, and a great many persons were severely 
hurt. Mr. Roper’s (a bone-boiler) premises were completely de- 
stroyed, and he narrowly escaped with his life. Several houses 
and other manufactories have been much injured. But the most 
afflicting scene of all, is the calamity suffered by Mrs. Clarke, 
whose husband was on Wednesday last scalded to death, by losing 
his hold, and falling into a cauldron of boiling water in Green- 
street. The power of the water was such on the bursting of the 
gasometer, that it completely washed away Mrs. Clarke’s house, 
and alittle girl in arms was dreadfully hurt, and carried away by the 
force of the water nearly fifty yards from whence the house stood. 
On Monday the 18th of March, a coroner’s inquest was held 
on the body of Morgan, when the following evidence on the sub- 
ject was given: 
Thomas Mees, a smith, stated, that he was sent up to London 
in the beginning of June, and was employed to put up the tanks : 
two of them were put up before Christmas, and that which burst 
since. A month since a crack appeared in one of the plates of the 
tank, which enlarged, and broke out above, where a new patch 
was put. Witness and the deceased were employed to repair it, 
and caused another plate to be made to cover the fissure. On this 
being done, they found that the first patch must be taken off, to 
have holes drilled for the screws ; a piece of pasteboard and then 
the new plates were placed over the crack, and supported by a 
piece of wood, which rested on the adjoining wall, aud made 
every thing water-tight. While they were putting in the screws, 
the iron hoop, which was the main support of the tank, burst, 
and dropped off. Witness then said to the deceased, ‘* The tank 
is sure to burst,” and they both ran down some distance from it; 
but as it held together, they agreed to endeavour to mend the 
hoop, and returned for that purpose, when the deceased pro- 
ceeded to climb up the side of the tank to throw down some dust 
to stop the cracks, as the water was running out fast. Witness 
again called out, ‘*Come away, it’s sure to burst,” and stooped 
down to pick up the fallen hoop, when the tank gave way, and 
the water carried witness away about eighteen yards. On reco- 
vering himself, he found the deceased in a timber-yard, about 
thirty yards distant, where he had been washed over a shed by 
the impetuosity of the water; he groaned when witness picked 
him up, and the blood flowed freely from his ears: he continued 
groaning 
