Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-01-19
AN OIL TANK EXPLOSION.
ANOTHER CONFEDERATION AT
POINT BREEZE.
Burning OIL Scattered In Every
DfrectiOn-The FIremen Unable TO
Cope with the DevOarIng Element
Destruction TO Property by the
CoRcussiOn-OrIgin OF the Fire
Unknown.

PHILADELPHIA. January 1S.-About half
past O'Clock this morning one Of the tanks
at the Atlantic OIL Refinery at Point Breeze
exploded with terrific force, and the burning
oil was scattered In every direction. The
conclusion broke windows mile
4 distant, and the flames spread
rapidly, not only to the adjoining
tanks, but to the wharf and shipping. The
four tanks soon took fire, and number of
/ vessels which are aground In the Schuylkill
were quickly ablaze. A dispatch received
from the immediate vicinity at 9:15 a. m.
says the entire place is on fire.
PHILADELPHIA, January 18 IL AM.-The re-
! port that the shipping is on fire seems to have
been premature, for 1t Is now stated that all
/ the vessels were intact at a. m. There are
/ two loaded vessels in the stream, however,
| opposite the works, which are burning, viz:
The Competitor, with filed cases, and the
/ Maryland, with filed barrels. One Of the city
ice boats has gone to their assistance. The
wharves are all in flames, and the employees
1 have been compelled to leave the offices.
4 The fire originated in an agitator. The ex-
ploSion was heard aud felt at the extreme
northern points in this city, and as far down
the river as Chester. The last great fire at
the works occurred in June. 1873
PHILADELPHIA, January Is, 11:15 A. NJ
All the shedding along the wharves are now
on fire, and the destruction of the whole
works greatly depends on the force and
| direction OF the wind.
PHILADELPHIA January Is, 12M.-The fire
is now under control, as the vessels were
removed from danger. The flames were
confined chiefly to the warehouse and
! wharves. There were stored in the warehouse
1 n nj 40 Gav
/ pany insures its own property from Its re-
serve fund.
The scene of to-day's fire is the same as
that on which the disastrous fire OF 1879
occurred, when all the buildings, with a
great quantity of oil and five ships in the
I river, were destroyed, entailing loss of
nearly half a million of dollars. The
establishment is owned by the Standard Oil
Company, and is managed and operated
by the Atlantic Refining Company Before
this morning several acres of ground were
| covered with substantial structures, mostly
of brick, those of the old buildings which
were left by the previous fire having been
torn down to make way for others OF a
more commodious character.
On the grounds there are upward of one
hundred tanks with capacity of 1900. 900
barrels, although there were not more than
400, 600 barrels on the premises this morn
Ing, the greater part of which was stored in
the tanks far back from where the fire
originated. Just before the explosion men
were at work pouring oil into it from a still
| near by.
The origin Of the FIRE is unknown, but It
Is thought that in filing the tank of the
still the oil in some manner became heated,
and, coming In contact with gas in the
tank, caused an explosion. 1t exploded
with terrific report, throwing the burning
OIL in all directions, and igniting everything
inhammable with which it came in contact.
The conclusion smashed all the glass
in the vicinity, and was heard several
miles away, and down the river as far
as Chester. The entire glass roof of
one of the bleacheries was shattered, Office
windows were smashed in, ard large brick
house, just below the works, were much
shaken and all the window sashes were
broken. Four people were in the house at
the time, every ohe OF whom was thrown
from bed, and one, Miss Lizzie Brooks, hap
her hip fractured by a fall
Despite the efforts of the firemcn a great
volume of Oil flowed rapidly over the
ground. About O'Clock theEfre reached an
other of the large tanks and again there
was fierce explosion, which practically
nndid all the previous effective
efforts of the frenen. The burning
liquid then poured through the
pipes and trenches beneath the surface
of the ground connecting the tanks with
the great warehouse on the river front, and
the flames burst out with full force from
the south end OF the building. The ware
house was quite new, having been built
since the last confagration, and was six
hundred feet long, fronting directly on the
river, and was about fifty feet deep. The
burning oil next communicated to the store
house belonging to the Atlantic Petroleum
Storage Company, and 1t was completely