Monday, 3 December 1956 ... Mr J Divine after a short absence returned to his room in Arthur F Campbell and Co store and garage ( Greyhound Bus Terminal, Paterson Street) to find it engulfed in flames and the fuse box adjacent sparking. Men raced to the scene to fight the fire, 700 gallons of water having no effect on the hazing methylated spirits, kerosene and petrol. The building exploded, police sergeant James Mannion raced into to building to see if anyone was trapped, water in tankers that was for Tennant Creeks domestic use was used and private water tanks milked for more. (Water was pumped into private household tanks collected by tankers at the creek or bores, no mains water then) Acetylene and oxygen cylinders began to explode, and publican Ken McIntyre said that white hot flames leapt to 80 feet in height as if thrown from a blow torch. More then 30 people were injured, including William Clark and William (Bill) Fullward but a miracle happened that evening, as the TAAs DC4 weekly north bound flight had not long landed. Within half an hour the seats were stripped from the plane for its use as an ambulance to Darwin. Dr James Edward Lyttle worked fearlessly to treat the injured. Hubert Fairhurst and John Knowles drove a bulldozer into the burning debris after the worst of the blaze and shoved the embers into a heap to stop flames from spreading. Keith Raymond Trengrove died the next day in Darwin from shock and haemorrhage as he was burnt and his arm was blown off in the explosions. Police sgt James Mannion and Dr James Lyttle received the George Medal for bravery. There is a plaque I believe on the building as a memorial .. When located will put the photo up ... I have also seen a photo of Bill Fullwood after the accident too that I must find for here .. Fire was believed to have started spontaneously in three wet kapok mattresses or by short circuit in the fuse box
Posted on: Fri, 06 Jun 2014 15:28:54 +0000
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