The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-10
EXPLOSION AL A FIRE.

STREET ALMOST CAUSES A HORROR SEVERAL
liRhMEN INJyRED-rHE Cause OF THE FIRE
INVOLVED IN MYSTERY.
IRE occurred Barclay street about twenty
minules TO ten O'Clock yesterday morning, IN The
vaults ATTACHED 10 the base meut oil David H. sliger
Co's wholesale drug establishment, No IS Barcsy
street, which, although II caused OILY $500 damage
TO The STOCK nevertheless came Resulting The
loss OF several lives In short time after the alarm
was sounded the nremen we're on the spot ana had
the water pouring into the three vaults winch
run out under Inc Sidewalk In enc vi these
vaults a barrel OF o.hzDe was burning ana
sending its flames up through the iron graf
ing under the store wiracws. The object Of
the nremen was 10 prevent The spread OF the lanes
10 properly stored in The BASEMENT which sep
aratsd from the vaults by narrow area. Hoses
the stairway inside the store ana out
side through the coal mole and the openings oil the
iron gra,inas. the bremen worked with will and
WATCHED the burning beozne untii the fames were
nearly exhausted waen II was believed The nre
completely uut-in less than half an hour after II
originated heavy pun Of fame struck six OF the
Gremen were standing in the basement In front
OF The vaults, burning Them on tho neck. face or
hsnus very painfully and injurtng Of the number
perhaps fatally.
HOW THE FIRE OCCURRED
When the propfis,ors Of he store were asked yes
day they could give any explanation as 10 tue cause
oil the nrs they tod in Substance tbs following
story They the once boy, Charley Woods, went
down 70 vault 10 draw on some benziue IRON The
barrel containing IT, and that whe he WIS IN the ACT
Of doing the flames almost enveloped him, SO sud
denly did ignition lake place. The boys lace was
oil ghty burned before he could ge away, as he made
stree uous efforts TO extlngasn the flames they
around him. A. the further end Of the basement
John vickerman, one Of the clerks, was engaged
when the IRE broke out. and calling 10 tho boy TO
leave the vault both ascsnded to she sore,
where the alarm soon created panic throuyhout
the buldinR The upper duors OF the bulluing were
nearly ALI occupied as storerooms for light goods
When the nremsn arrived they ut once removed the
Streams were also introduced into the base snt,
the IRE was stopped, as The lanes sprane out
vaults from the basement Tue lid OF the coai mole
raised ana The aperture also used 10 let down
hose. the nre was now complssly under control
several the bremen were standing at the base
msnt entrance 10 the vaults. Ruiding The hose and
awaiting the Anal extnction Of Toe nAmsA
DEVELOPED IN YLAAE.
Suddenly 4 loud fCmbiug sound was heard and
with It cxuo Cash OF fame into the faces the nrc
dreadful scene now ensucd. The wounded men we're
rushing ABOUT W gam an ascent 10 the store above,
,ns arc were termed by III. sudoen explosive sound
aud The dread word "Exploslonl" was passed from
10 another until within q lew minute:
IL was believed all around the neigh borhood
that some friuntrul catastrophe had happened.
After the explosion the flames soon died out and the
saw the barrel In which the bsnzine mad burned OUT
vi hout single crack IA u, sight which puzzicd
the barrel into fragments. In the vault where the
Denzins barrel was situated there was nothing else
tuat could have exploded, put the nrsmen say 'nev
took otnsr barrels out Of that vault There was
not the slightest sign In any one oil the
three vaults that anything had burst or that
explosive material had oone any harm. The theory
O. the proprc oil tue store II that while the boy
vas drawing of the benEiae fom the faucet some
sparks iany through the grating Of the Sidewalk
must have struck upon tns benzino and ignited II.
Abe explosion - mystery ~ the nremen. who say
they never before sxpsrisp ed anything IKE II, IN
view u The absence all signs OF AN explosion afier
the lanes had died out. They say that had any ma
,srsi oil nm explosive character IN the vault caught
time would have escaped beng killed Instantly. The
injured nrsmsn went tor treatment to the Chambers
THE INJURED rIRExxx
The following arc their nam.s:-
Foreman James Monroe, Of Hook and Ladder Com
pany 10. 10, Iory- years OF residing 1t No. IL
Harrison street, burns on hosd aud hands.
Foreman Francis G. Reilly, Of Hook and Ladder
No. rs Chambers street. burns on head and hands.
Assistant Foreman DuFion, OF Engine Company
~ o s' ass o. .s az" nsa
Private John H. Mcnamara, OF Engine Company
No 20. twenyseven years Of age, residing a. No. 2os
Monroe street. burned badly on face ANA hands.
Private Kelly, OF Engine Company NO. ~, thirty
eight oil age, residing At No. ll6 Henry street,
burned neck, lace and hands ana internally.
Private Michasi : bearn, OF Hook ana Lauder Com
pany Ro. ], twenty-sx years OF sgs, residng ut No
20 Cua.nosrs street, burns on head and hands.
McNamsrs and Kelly, the latter especially. II IS not
yot quito certain mat Kelly has not been fatally
injured. The injured men had their wounds dressed
ut The hospital. The skin their cheeks WAS badly
iaceratsd b. the flames AMI their hands were also
mustered ana scorcnea. In The case OF Mcnamara tho
decorations the head wsro seroua DR. George ID.
Gait the house surgeon Injected morphine
anu McNamara TO remain In me hospital for nome
time but they refused TO do kelly was very much
excited and planned OF feeling burning sensation
Internally. These swo men were conveyed 10 Their
homes IN carriages. The otner men Holt on duly Tor
tho gay, sought aud treatment at thcr homes
tai TO repor the hospital every
ten o'csck where especial attention would DO paid
TO Them.
The rumors Of deaths and startling occurrences
winch we're called forth IN the forenoon by TINS nrc
recalled Tue terrible at the IRE 0rsenued
sons buiidinss ON the opposite side vi the street,
Lac, wn,sG crowds saIn.rsd quickly 10 the scene at
the nrst signal OF the hrs fne hrs, however. ~
stated, vas spced,iy ex.ingushsd, sad tns crowds
The parrul IN wnicn the oenzns burned itself out
displayed during the DAY IN front The store ana
VAS gaze al oy numovrs OF pAssers oy. Toe barrel
was charrsu and baekened bat was not In any way
Eugiuser Rae, IN whose div,son the Ore occurred,
was asked opiuion AS 10 tho cause oil the expo
anu he replied that IL was simpie enough From
the DurnuR Of the beuzine vApor arose WHOA hIled
the vault, and when tue hu had nearly burned itsef
ou snd, iscs. when tue bremen thought tue namss
were all sxinguished, some stray spark must nave
struck this vspor sud caused the Explosion. Ne said
he expected All the meo, except Kelly, would bs able
10 resume duty In ten or ,w,'ve ssya
TOO ADMINISTRATIVE.