New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-12
IN EXPLOSION Al BRIGHTON BEACH,
THREE SHEDS OF FIREWORKS BLOW UP-GREAT
EXCITEMENT, But LITTLE DAMAGE.

THREE SHEDS or FIREWORKS BLOW UP-GREAT
EXCITEMENT But LITTLE DAMAGE.
display of fireworks not down on the programme
was witnessed az Coney Island last evening. In the
rear of the Brighton Beach Hotel are SIX low
wooden ructures where the fireworks are pre-
pared. The sheds" they called. ranged
in double row with a space Of fifty feet between
each building. About o'clock s ght smoke was
seen curling from OF these sheds. Simultaneous
ly a volume of fllme shot forth accompanied by
loudreport. The smoke carried hundreds OF feet
into the air, aud second report followed almost
instantly. Occupants Of Tue adjoining sheds rushed
from them to place of safety, and third report,
louder than either of the preceding. came within
quarter OF a minute. Those IN the Immediate vicin-
iy were throw to the ground by tue last violent
and for several seconds rockets scattered
and burst in every direction At the Brighton
Hotel report at once spread that the boiler IN the
rear had blown up anil there was general rush to
the scene Of the accident. THREE OF the frework
sheds were then enveloped in flames and the re-
mainder seemed IN imminent danger of the same
fate Officer Mccullough of the Pinkerton squad,
who had seen the OK ploslon from the Marine Rail-
way depot. one OF the first 70 reach the place,
and with the and Of the Brighton police he kept
| back the crowd that gathered rapidly.
Forseveral moments little could be done to check
| tho flames no daring TO approach the buildings
| where another explosion might take place at any
| instant. Then q woman was seen lying on the
| ground only short distance from the burning
sheds and several men ran up and carried her from
the dangerous locality. There little wind to
take the flames beyond tho buildings that they en-
veloped and buckets of water being thrown on the
tire il was soon extingulshed The woman was the
wife of the proprietor Of the sheds. J. W. Warden.
. in . IY,lI IN baf in
last explosion occurred. aud found to have es-
capped with few slight scratches aud burns. She
had tainted from the shock and the fright. Three
small girls were IN the same building with her. and
they also escaped with serious injuries than
blackened faces and slight burns. Henry Warden.
her son. boy Of sixteen. was in the building
where the last explosion took place. He sprang
through the open doorway on hearing the first
report and had not run more than twenty-five
feet before the shock from the explosion
of the shed that he had just left dashed him to the
ground For short time IL was reDOri ed that the
proprietor was in of the structures and had
been killed but il proved that he had been absent
from the spot, and he came running back. much
excited five minutes later. Twelve persons are
employed about the sheds in preparing the fire
works. and fortunately none Of them received more
than slight bruises.
cont lined quantity OF sulphur and ingredients for
making cOlored hre. In the second building adloin-
ing NJ as some or the InlAeu ColHposilol ioi tio
fteworks In the third building that exploded were
Il number OF rockets and three barrels OF powder
that caused the heavy report Tde ongln OF the
fire Mr.. Warden could MOI account Tor, except by
spontaneous combustion as the shed IN which II
broke out was closed aud there had been no smoke IN
itdurinR the day. The stock OF fireworks and material
was also low. the greater part oavng been used on
FRIDAY evening at the exhibition. Mr.. Warden says
that he never kept on hand much more than enough
material 10 make no from one week to another, al
though. had the explosion taken place the evening
ore viJus 1t must have been much more disastrous
in its results. The sheds are sufficiently far from
the hotel and other buildings 10 prevent
damage to them, but the railway passes
ONLY a hundred yards away. Dir. Warden
places b s total loss at about 5000.
There was not q large number OF people at Coney
Island but the number was greatest about the
time OF the explosion. The report was heard at
various points along the beach and the hre gave
rise 10 numerous wild rum0rs OF disaster, causing
for little time much comment.