The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-06-24
ANOTHER FATAL EXPLOSION CASUALTY
Explosion In a Store Of Fireworks ON Broad
way-Son Of One OF the ProprletOrs Killed.
Cause Of the Explosion . NONCOMPLIANCE,
Ruildin9. III

Explosion In a Store Of Fireworks ON Broad
way-Son Of One OF the ProprletOrs Killed.
Cause Of the Explosion q Mystery-Damage
70 Stock and Building. ca0 y
In the way of fatal casualties explosions now take
the precedence. Another explosion occurred In the
city yesterday-the third In the late series OF this
class Of disasters In its results It was happily less
fatal than those we have had recently to chronicle
there being only one life lost; but 1t happened at
place and under circumstances where such an
occurrence would be most likely looked for.
The scene Of the explosion was at No. so4 Broad
way, at the store of Messrs W. J. Lyon Co., deal
ers in fireworks, and where this class Of goods was
exclusively offered for sale. The person losing his
life was Lawrence Ludlow Lyon, q young man,
twenty years Of age, and son Of the senior proprie
tor The following are the particulars OF the casual
ty as far as can be ascertained up to the present
time, though 1t ID possble-and 1t Ii certain such
will prove to be the case-mportant additional light
will be thrown the subject at the Coroner's inves
tQaton to be held on the remains Of the unfortunate
deceased:-
II was few minutes to four O'Clock yesterday az
ternoon. In the store Of Messrs. Lyon Messenger
were the proprietors and their clerks and several
customers, the former busily engaged in selling
goods, the latter as busiy absorbed In their pur-
chases Young Lyon the bookkeeper, for whom the
messengers OF DEATH unseen unknown, undreamed
Of preparing the missiles OF swift and sure de
side STAIR near which was his desk, was compactly
stored large quantity Of torpedoes and other fabrics
of ali kinds and its pedestrians OF all
sso and as and on clerks Sn an was st
toners were still busy, and at his desk sat young
Lyon still buslly writing. Suddenly came the ex-
can write 1t. Thousand confusing sounds filed the
air; quick sharp explosions; whizzng, nzzing sput
Ppopetors and clerks and customers rushed frantic
ally from the door. Loud above the tumult OF our
great thoroughfare BOUNDED the consecutive explo-
slons. Everybody stopped, as everybody VIII stop
the nse matter s Inside the store the demons Of
sssa aG wege at let wS h
nery tongues they Tapped the beauteous body Of
young Lyon to unrecognizable shreds they reduced
hts garments; that fair form, pulsating with life and
health and hope they rendered almost as unrecog-
nizable and left, backened and charrel and hide
the moor at the foot OF his desk. His death was evi-
IDENTIFY sudden as indicated from the position In
The Ore spread rapidly. The combusible charac-
ter Of the material gathered IN the store
could not make 1t otherwise. An alarm
IRE engines were promptly on the ground stop the
progress OF the flames. Knowing the nature OF the
goods In the store II was feared there might be other
policemen from the sixth precinct, quickly formed
themselves In the street to prevent near approach,
discharge Of their duty forgot all fear OF
scene of the nre. No vehicles or pedestrians
were allowed to go up or down the street
for some time. crowd Of several thousands stood,
however In the distance looking on, and for time
the widest rumors OF loss Of life were afoat In
deed 1t was not known how many had been killed,
n any until the nre was subdued. IL took fully half
an hour to put out the 1re but at the end OF this
time everything inside had been burned up. 1t was
now that the body Of young Lyon was discovered.
see II there might be other victims to the casu-
alty but none were discovered. No one else,
indeed sustained any injury. At present the cause
OF the explosion Ii 0 mystery.
The BODY OF the deceased was removed TO the sixth
precinct station house, where an inquest VIII be
spoken Of as most estimable a. well ss promisng
young man.
at AZ 600 on which there 10 no insurance. -
The building the upper part OF which II unoccu-
MED IA owned BY b. T. Beekman. His loss, which 10
riven at IS, oOO Il fully covered by insurance.