Irish Times December 22, 1875 (Fatalities: M'Kee, M'Ilroy, Bryan, Stevenson, Arnott, Scott) TERRIFIC BOILER EXPLOSION AND LOSS OF EIGHT LIVES Yesterday morning a terrible explosion occurred in the townland of BALLYMACONNELL, between BANGOR and DONAGHADEE, County Down. It was attended with melancholy results, six males and two females having met with instant death. On the country road from Newtownards to the village of Groomsport, and about a mile from the Groomsport road station, on the Belfast and County Down Railway line, there stands, on the left side of the road, a structure known for the last 20 years as LOWRY'S SCUTCH MILL. There are two mills, viz, the Old Scutch Mill and a corn mill, both of which were propelled by water power, but the principal business which was that of scutching, was transacted in the steam mill on the Bangor side of the road. This mill was fitted up with a 16 horse power engine, and there was accomodation for 12 scutchers. During the scutching season, which commenced in October, the mill was in full operation latterly, though not so much work was being done. Yesterday morning, about twenty operatives had arrived on the premises, and would have commenced work had it not been for the accident. The usual time for the mill to commence was from half=past seven till eight o'clock, and yesterday morning at the latter hour, when eight persons, six men and two women, were congregated around the fire in the boiler=house waiting for the steam to be turned on, the boiler suddenly exploded. The boiler burst at both ends, and the boiler-house and a considerable portion of the mill used as a store was reduced to ruin. The boiler lies embedded in the debris, the chimney stands in a shaken condition, and the eastern extremity of the mill displays shattered walls, ragged windows, and other evidences of an explosion of a violent character. Where the explosion took place, MR JAMES LOWRY, son of the proprietress who was standing in his mother's yard, on looking towards the mill saw an unusual smoke or steam arising from it. He made all possible hast thither, and on arriving found the eastern end of the mill destroyed, and with a blinding steam everywhere. The first thing Mr Lowry did was to dispatch a messengerto Bangor for the constabulary, and in the meantime the bodies of the unfortunate people were removed to the "stricking" shed. Their names are as follows: HENRY M'ILROY, married age 34, leaves a wife and eight childen: ARTHUR M'ILROY his son, single; JOHN STEVENSON, married, age 30, leaves a wife and seven childen; J BRYAN, married aged 31, leaves a wife and one child; JOHN ARNOTT, aged 14; ALEXANDER BRYAN, aged 14; MR MARY ANNE M'KEE, 40 years of age, leaves a husband and 5 children; and MRS ISABELLA SCOTT, 34 years of age, husband and 3 chilren. The above bodies were discovered, five at the foot of the chimney, one in the flue with a barrow he had been wheeling into the boiler-house in a field about twelve yards off, and one a short distance from the chimney the damage amounts to about £500, and the premises were not insured. A portion of the boiler was driven across the road into a field and embedded in the soil several feet, about three hundred yards distance, and bricks belonging to the mill were scattered for a great distance around. the engine-dirve BRYAN, is at present in custody. William Davidson, EsQ, coroner for the Northern Division of the County of Down, arrived at six o'clock for the purpose of holding an inquest on the bodies. The inquiry was merely opened and adjourned till to morrow.