Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-05-11
THE OIL FIRE.
ak MEN BURNED to DEATH.

SIX MEN BURNED to DEATH.
How They Met Their Fste-A River Of
blazing On-Loss Over million
Dollars.
Tie oil tank struck by lightning at
Communipaw, near Jersey City, Thursday
stood among a number of others, and,
when smitten by the bolt, exploded with
a deafening roar, scattering the oil in all
directions. The burning petroleum
poured forth in fiery stream and flowed
down toward the river. Three huge
tanks, each holding 10000 barrels of oil,
stood in the way, and as the burning fluid
reached them they exploded simultane-
ously, with a report that was heard many
miles away. Pieces of iron were thrown
far across the river. and the flames ragged
with fierceness that promised to destroy
tho entire works.
Tank after tank was fred by the blazing
oil and dense, black smoke arose, envel-
| oping the city and attracting thousands of
spectators to the scene. The storehouse,
| an immense brick building, was soon
wrapped in flames, and after it the engine
house, the oil and water pump houses, Two
underground tanks, two warehouses, and
the cooper and blacksmith shops were
attacked. The tracks of the Pennsylvania
railroad, which run close by the works,
were soon on fire and several oil tanks on
cars were only saved by the expedient OF
covering them with thick layer of dirt.
A long trestle, belonging to the railroad
and running to Black Toms Island and
the surface of the bay was covered with
burning oil.
| Six Victims Of the Flames.
| 70 In
the scene of the fire, but few minutes,
work sufficed to show that nothing could
be done toward extinguishing the flames,
and all efforts were turned to preventing
their spread. While thus engaged near to
tank No. Z, it exploded with deafening
report, and blazing oil was thrown for a
great distance in every direction. The
chief engineer and number of men were
within ten yards of the tank when it ex-
ploded and were only saved by the fact
that the burning oil passed over their heads.
They succeeded in escaping unharmed, but
six men, who are supposed to have run
toward the river when the explosion &C.
Cured, were caught by the flames. These
, were John Herbert. superintendent of
the Eagle refinery, fOrty-two years old and
married. Joseph Jenkins, engineer,
twenty eight years old and unmarried.
George Davis, boss carpenter, twenty. five
years old and married. Henry Kegler,
carpenter, thirty-two years old and mar
ried. Richard Conkling, pipe filter,
twenty five years old. William Curry,
aged sixteen, employed in the blacksmith
shop.
Jenkins mother and sister, who live in
Carbondale, Pa, and Kegler's wife, and
two little girls, who are on visit at
, Carbondale. have been telegraphed to.
Mrs. Davis was so overcome by the terri.
BILE fate of her husband that it is thought
her reason may be affected. She could
of the Eagle refinery, which is close by
time would catch fire, but stood on the
porch gazing at the flames and moaning,
~ trusted in the Almighty" she said,
"but George is gone" Curry lived with
his father iu Jersey City and Conkling
with his father near the works. Herbert
lived on Lafayette avenhe, Communipaw,
i. and has 3.ycar, old girl.
| The Night Watcbmsn's story,
Edward Johnson, the night watchman,
who was one Of those who escaped at the
explosion of tank No. z, says: "On the
approach OF a thunder storm the engineer
gets up steam, and we are in readiness to
attack L fire, with the aid of large
chemical engine. At the time of the ex
plosion of tank No. :, this morning, l was
standing between the tanks, with the miss
ing men, playing on the one already burn
ing, when, without moments warning,
I was knocked down, partially stunned
and almost blinded by the gravel from the
top of the tank which just then exploded.
! managed to regain my feet and get out
have seen nothing of the other men
since the explosion. am almost certain
there lave been other lives lost, as there
; were many strangers between the tanks
after the fire started. What saved me
was that Twas close to the brick founda-
tion of the tank and everything went over
my head"
At 10 o'clock the last explosion occurred
setting on fire tank Of acid and causing
fresh outbreak of the flames, but by
noon the flames were we'll under control,
though the fremen continued all day
to play upon the blazing ruins. 1t will
probably be some days before the work of
clearing up the debris can begin. The
scene, as witnessed at present, is a most
melancholy one. Nothing is left of the
immense buildings but tOttering walls, and
tt c huge tanks are twisted and rent in
every conceivable way.
| The Loss
! The loss, as we'll as it can be estimated
at present, is about 100000. The
} tanks, eight containing oil and two
naphtha, a number Of buildings, five
lighters loaded with oil, 10000 empty
barrels and several hundred tons of coal
were consumed. Fortunately the flames
were confined to the south side of the
railroad track. Had the tanks on the
north side caught fire the loss would
have been enormous. The National
Storage.company lose on the buildings and
tanks, on which they estimate their loss,
about 100000, fully covered by insur-
ance. The oil was owned by different
parties, and some cars which were
burned belonged to the Pennsylvania rail-
road.
The works were the largest Of the kind
in the United States, and covered forty
acres. Half of the space was burned over.
1t is not thought that the bodies of those
burned can be recovered, as they must
have been utterly consumed in the intense
heat.
| CALAMITY AND CRIME.
Recent Very Serious Happenings.
The total number of lives lost by the
burning of tho steamer Grappler in