Gumleaf
January 16th, 2008, 08:10 PM
Thursday Jan 17 10:00 AEDT
By Shaun Davies and Jack Hawke
ninemsn
A witness to an explosion in at a Hunter Valley Vineyard that killed two people this morning says one survivor was blown 20m through the air before running burning into a lake.
An ambulance spokeswoman has confirmed that two people are dead after the explosion at Drayton's Winery in the NSW vineyard region of Pokolbin.
It is believed the blast may have been caused after alcohol fumes were ignited by welding at a storage shed.
Damien Griffith, owner of a cafe near the winery, said he heard a massive explosion at around 8.15am this morning.
"I could see a big line of fire coming out of Drayton's. It looked like a gas line had blown up. There was one big line of flame," he said.
Mr Griffith immediately drove to Drayton's, where he saw the front of the building that housed the winery's cellar door had partially collapsed.
"You could see liquid flames dripping out of the gutters. It was intense."
He then spoke to a severely injured man who said he had been caught in the explosion.
"The guy said he ran down on fire and jumped into a dam. His face had been burned … he had skin hanging off his face and off his arms," Mr Griffith said.
"[The man] said he was blown 20m through the air. People said they saw him run burning into the dam."
"It was rather full on … I'm fine but I really do feel for the people."
The identity of the two dead people has not been confirmed, but Mr Griffith said fears were held for one of the owners of the winery, Trevor Drayton.
A 27-year-old man who received burns to 80 percent of his body was airlifted to hospital in a helicopter. It is not clear whether this was the same man who Mr Griffith spoke to.
"Looking around and you look at damage in trees around the place from what was obviously a shockwave of some sort from the explosion I think it's probably very lucky that it happened early," Rural Fire Service Superintendent Jason McKellar told Macquarie Radio.
"I don't know if there's picnic areas around, the area's taken up with fire trucks at the moment, but I suppose ... it's certainly (fortuitous) it was early in the morning."
Supt McKellar confirmed two bodies had been found in the cellar door area of the winery.
Hazardous materials had kept fire crews from entering the building, which had been almost totally destroyed by fire, Supt McKellar said.
with AAP
By Shaun Davies and Jack Hawke
ninemsn
A witness to an explosion in at a Hunter Valley Vineyard that killed two people this morning says one survivor was blown 20m through the air before running burning into a lake.
An ambulance spokeswoman has confirmed that two people are dead after the explosion at Drayton's Winery in the NSW vineyard region of Pokolbin.
It is believed the blast may have been caused after alcohol fumes were ignited by welding at a storage shed.
Damien Griffith, owner of a cafe near the winery, said he heard a massive explosion at around 8.15am this morning.
"I could see a big line of fire coming out of Drayton's. It looked like a gas line had blown up. There was one big line of flame," he said.
Mr Griffith immediately drove to Drayton's, where he saw the front of the building that housed the winery's cellar door had partially collapsed.
"You could see liquid flames dripping out of the gutters. It was intense."
He then spoke to a severely injured man who said he had been caught in the explosion.
"The guy said he ran down on fire and jumped into a dam. His face had been burned … he had skin hanging off his face and off his arms," Mr Griffith said.
"[The man] said he was blown 20m through the air. People said they saw him run burning into the dam."
"It was rather full on … I'm fine but I really do feel for the people."
The identity of the two dead people has not been confirmed, but Mr Griffith said fears were held for one of the owners of the winery, Trevor Drayton.
A 27-year-old man who received burns to 80 percent of his body was airlifted to hospital in a helicopter. It is not clear whether this was the same man who Mr Griffith spoke to.
"Looking around and you look at damage in trees around the place from what was obviously a shockwave of some sort from the explosion I think it's probably very lucky that it happened early," Rural Fire Service Superintendent Jason McKellar told Macquarie Radio.
"I don't know if there's picnic areas around, the area's taken up with fire trucks at the moment, but I suppose ... it's certainly (fortuitous) it was early in the morning."
Supt McKellar confirmed two bodies had been found in the cellar door area of the winery.
Hazardous materials had kept fire crews from entering the building, which had been almost totally destroyed by fire, Supt McKellar said.
with AAP