The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-12-02
AN OIL STILL EZPLODES.
Workmen Underneath Deluged by
the Burning Oil.
Four Men Killed, and Two Others
Fatally Injured

An explosion Of a tank Of oil at the Phila-
delphia Lubric c%ompany's works III Pbiade!.,
phia, has resulted in the death OF.
three men and a boy, the serious injury OF
two others, and the partial destruction OF
the establishment. Those killed were:
Alexander Banks, aged 40. residing at
119 Miflin street; burned to a crisp. He was
superintendent Of thu gang Of workmen, and
had recently come from P~ittsburg. Charles
Marshall, a boy aged 12, residing in Mifiin
street.; at work with the men under the tank.
Joseph Robinson, Of Delaware, married,
aged IS years, boilermaker. Arthur
Grueber, Of England, aged &
years, single; entire body terribly burned.
The injured were Patrick Boyle, single, aged
81 years, laborer; head, trunk, and extremi.
ties frightfully burned; will probably die.
Charles Mclean, agel4 years, single; burned
about head and extremities; probably viii
not recover. Particulars Of the disaster are
as given in a dispatch as follows:
For some time past the Philadelphia Lubric
company's works on the Delaware, at the foot
of Moore street, have been running to their
full capacity, and carly this morning u gang
of men numbering about fifteen were set at
work to repair a stone foundation under q
large iron still which contained l5U bar
rels of crude oil. The repairs had
been partly completed, and several Of the
men were plastering up the interior walls,
when the manhole Of the still was blown OF,
setting the oil on fire, fitting over the still, and
causing the burning oil to fall on the men
below. The explosion was followed a
few seconds later by a second report.
Considerable time elapsed before any
OF the fire apparatus reached the
scene, by which time the oil which still re-
manned in the tilted tank and the portion
which had flowed to the ground was burning
fiercely.
A few minutes afterward the work OF res
cuing those who had teen injured was begun.
An elderly man was found lying against the
fence which SURF, unds the works, about
seventy-fve yards from the exploded n
He was unconscious. and was terribly burned
about the head and face.
Joseph Robinson, aged about IS was
found lying on the ground close to a pool OF
burning oil. His clothing was saturated with
the oil, a portion Of which had been burned
off. He was 50 terribly burned that o por-
ton of the flesh Of the right leg carae or
while g. surgeon was cutting or his panta-
looms. He has since died.
Alexander Banks, aged 40, had charge Of
the gang, and Wi s Working Immediately I'M
der the tank when the explosion occurred
While the rescuing party we're searching
aroun for the victims, his body was seen ~
ing OH the ground close to the fountain wall,
aud surrounded with blazing OIL Michael
Cavanaugh volunteered torescue him, and,
notwithstanding the protests OF his
companions, crawied along the ground,
after one of the iiremen had sat-
urated his clothing with wate-. When
within reach Of Banks he grasped his right
foot, and when hs made an effort to draw the
body out the mans foot parted from the
body. Cavanaugh dropped it and hastily
reached a place Of safety, leaving the body
to the flames. Cavanaugli's face and hands
were badly burned. A lew minutes after
Cavanaugh ESCAPED che tank fell, and Banks
body was hid from view.
Charles Mclean, aged "a, and Arthur
Grueber, aged q, were also found lying
close to the burning still, the former being
unconscious, and both terribly burned. Grue-
Der has since died, and Mclean probably
will not recover: fatrick boole, aged 70
wears, laborer, was frightfully burned. and
will die.
The body Of Clar'es Marshall, a boy, aged
IL. who was at work with the men under the
tank, was recovered from the ruins
Several other llei who were working close
to the still at the time Of the explosion were
also burned, but their injuries were compare
lively slight. The injured were taken to the
Pennsylvania Hospital, where their wounds
were dressed.
Soon after the explosion occurred the
burning oil, which had run from the still
when it careened, flowed along the ground,
and, coming in contact with two wooden
tanks partly buried them in the ground,
set them on fire. These tanks contained
600 and 500 barrels Of oil respective
". The oil was soon ignited, and the
flames spread to q largo iron a which con-
tanned 500 barrels OF tar, which also took fire,
and at one time threatened the destruction OF
the entire eastern end OF the works. At IL
P. n. the fire was we'll I'm Ter control. The
loss will reach about S50,0oO; insurance,
81. 600.