New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-09
FOUR OIL-TANKS EXPLODE.
A DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN HUNTERS POINT.
MARROW ESCAPE or sHIPPIN0-THE DAMAGE
$50.000-THREE MEN SLIGHTLY INJURED

MARROW ESCAPE OF SHIPPIN0-THE DAMAGE
$500O0-THREE MEN SLIGHTLY INJURED.
Suspended over the East River yesterday after
noon hung heavy arch OF SMOKE stretching from shore
to shore just south of Backwels Island New material
constantly taken ut Hunters Point and odOr
mistakable In Its nature told OF the oil reneres
was on fire long before any flames visible. Now
and then passing boat shot Its slender column OF steam
against tho black arch but fell back unable TO force
entrance into the dense mass.
Shortly after two O'Clock explosion heard In the
yard OF the Long Island refinery Of the Standard OIL
Company situated at the foot of Tenth-st In few
minutes another explosion took place. and this fol-
lowed by q third All the tugboats belonging TO the
company were summoned at once by telephone, and
general fire alarm sounded -Four tanks were
quickly In amos and the warehouse the river front
set fire. Across channel. filed at this time with
shipping Is the Empire Refinery. The burning oil ran
into the river crossed the channel set fire to canal boat
and barge and for time endangered the neighbouns
refinery The first explosion In tank No. g. contain
ing 1000 barrels Of dstiate OIL tar tank contained
1900 barrels tank OF naphtha, 5000 barresi tank
OF refined OIL 300 barrels and the stOrehouse 1,5OO
barrels. The sorebouse long, narrow, one-stOried
brick building, nearly destroyed, only one wall re-
manning standing 1t had been covered with new roof
last summer. About sixty men I'm this building
when the fire discovered. Patrick Mccarthy, FL
ler was burned slightly The building used for cooper
age only few yards from the storehouse but the
hremen kept it cool with numerous streams OF water
The machinery in the shops further away not IN
jured. The bulkhead was damaged considerably. The
entire loss amounted to about 100000.
HOW THE FIRE SPREAD.
after the fire alarm given, Chief James. Cum
iskey Long Island City Fire Department arrived
at yard with Rambler Engine No. g. Hunter Engine
No Jackson Hose No. s. and Friendship and Live Oak
Hook ana Ladder Companies and streams Of water were
thrown on tank No. and surrounding tanks. The
efforts to prevent the fire from spreading unavai
Ing however and about 230 the top Of tank No. 43,
containing naphtha, was blown of, and the naphtha
caught fire and began to burn ercely Robert McPhai,
assistant foreman OF Engine No. A. burned severely
and Richard Kane foreman OF No. g. had his leg crushed
Both men taken homo. Chief Cuniskey soon found
that tho much for the he had hand,
and the Fire Department Of Astoria eegraphed for
This brought AssstantChef Joseph Allen with Stein
way Hose Company No. q Tiger No. g. and Protection
Engine No. 2, and Hook and Ladder Company No. 1.
BY time they ar ed the flames had spread to the tar
and other tanks. Great volumes OF black smoke arose
from the burning tar and OIL and tho water from the
engines struck the red-hOt tanks It transformed into
clouds Of white vapOr.
At the docks adjoining the sOrehOuse were the barks
Olga r. Buchara, d. b. Metcalf. Western Chief Nova
Scotia and Admiral and the ship Foam, all loading with
oil AS the flames broke out the Buchara was COM
pleely enveoped, and 1t looked though would be
impossible to her. She towed out into the
stream by the tug joe from Perth Amboy and was not
injured. The tug Trojan rescued the Metcaf and the
other vessels were taken out into the stream without
difficulty. Tho Foam simply cast OF her lines and drifed
out with the tide The barge OIL City, which loading
with OIL caught fire. but was tOwed out by the tug Uncle
Abe and the fire was extinguished.
The wharf caught fire from the burning storehOuse.
The tugs Standard Linden, Daylight, Brilliant f. W.
DevOe O. r. Stone. and John Fuller set their pumps at
work, AM had streams playing on the fire. When
the tank which was directly on the river bank caught
firnf ha FOL hpAf
channel between the two warehouses was one mass Oh
flaming OIL and IL with difficulty that the tug boats
able to keep themselves from catching fire. con-
mediate vicinity OF those that were on fire. In order
stand the intense heat the nremen compelled TO
nlonks Trencbes-were dug and earth works erected to
keep tho OF burning oil from spreading to the
was surrounded by flames but the fremen succeeded
keeping 1t from catching fire until the contents were
About $50 Engines Nos. H. 8 and 8 from Brooklyn
arrived but only the Inter put TO work. there being
but little danger OF any further spreading OF the hre at
that time
WHAT DIR. SEAMAN HEARD AND SAW.
DR. L. L. Seaman. the chief OF the medical stan at the
Charity Hospital Backwells Island, said: heard
big explosion about quarter past two. 1t shook tho
Charity Hospital to its foundation and thought at first
that something had blown up on the sland but on look
ing toward Hunters Point saw that the whole top OF
one of the tanks there mad blown on Inc Top was
blown bodily over on the stOrehOuse Immediately IA
column OF flame shot up from the TANK followed ny
mass OF dense black smoke saw then what was the
matter ana came over In my small 70 see II
be Of any assistance. There was nobody injured ser-
Ously that could find"
j Nish you would give tho Standard Oil Company
shot" said indignant fireman. ILey made us pay
ten cents when wo wanted to telephone up to Astoria
for assistance"
J. II. Alexander. J. Van Dyke, W. W; Beach IT: IT,
Rogers and A. j. Pouch were among the officers OF the
Standard Company present Mr. Rogers said that lac did
think there any insurance the property, but
IL there it slight He added that ho was unable
to learn the cause of the explosion.
The shock OF the explosion played havoc with rho win
dows in the vicinity OF the oil works ana the honse OF
Michael Kane, Westaye. ana Tenth-st., was moved
from its foundation and stands In preCarOus condition.
Every window in the house was shattered