New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-09
EXPLOSION IN A BAKE-SHOP.
A PANIC AMONG PEOPLE IN The STREET.
THE SIDEWALK TORN UP AND STONES THROWN
IN EVERY DIRECTION-SEVERAL PEOPLE
BRUISED AND STUNNED.

BRUISED AND STUNNED.
Henry Keppel has bakery the first floor
of No 6l0 Sixth-st The oven and fireplace are
in the cellar and extend under the sidewalk
Above the bakery are apartments, occupied by nine
families. Last evening at o'clock, Frank Sick
enger, jacob and George Keppe sons of the pro-
prietor, and John Deal went to work in the bake
shop to get out bread for to-day's trade The hre
was started under the oven, and the men were busy
at work when about hal past o'clock they were
nearly blinded by a bright fash of light, whch
was accompanied by loud detonation Inc
bakers were staggered. and one of them ELL
All the lights in the place went out and to adu
to the terrors of the men, there came the sound
of crashing glass and the fall of heavy objects
over their heads. Thinking that the building
was falling, they ran out through a rear door,
yelling like madmen. For the moment no one
knew what had happened, and as the sound hau
been heard for several blocks. people rushed from
their houses and blocked the street, hunting Ior
the cause of the disturbance.
The families who lived over KeppePs got out
of the house into the yard. Some one IN 'he
street shouted that the building was falling, ana
in the mad rush 10 get TO place OF safety SEVERN
children were knocked down and trampled upon
but no was severely hurt. The only person
who saw what had happened who could be lOunu
AdOlph kohn, the right-watchman Ol llo
Children's Aid Society, of No. 223 East Seventhst'
lie passing in 'front.' Of keppeIs bakery anu
heard "A deep rumbling sound, and felt the grCuhu
tremble beneath his feet. He thought that IL WIS
an earthquake, and ran TO the middle oil tle
street expecting to see the buildings fall around
him. He had gone only few feet when there
was a loud explosion, the earth seemed to up
heave all around him, and for a few seconds tho
air was filled with flying stones, dirt, sticks anu
the cries of frightened people. When the dust
had cleared away and fear of second explosion
had passed away, an investigation was lhdue
The sidewalk in front OF the bakery was gone anu
there was a hole in its place large enough 10
drop truck 1t opened directly into the bake
shop in the cellar. Everything in the cellar was
wrecked but fortunately the Goals III the llreOoA
had not been scattered. q,
A large piece of tagstOne, five feet long ana
two feet wide, weighing about 200 pounds, was
driven through the show-window and dropped on
the floor Of the bakery close TO the proprietor,
who was sitting behind the counter reading a
paper. He felt as if he had been hit all over at
once by heavy log and was partially stunned
for a moment The bakery was filled with small
stone struck near his head, and II
il had struck him would probably nave
injured him fatally. Charles Wesher and Fred,
ericll StorrS two of the tenants who live over
the bakery, were in the front hallway when the
explosion occurred. They were both kpocked
down. and when they recovered their senses
crawled into the yard. They were both slightly
bruised. Two large stones, with an utter dlsre-
gard for the Excise Law, broke open the liquor
store of John COnradi, at No. 6l7 SlXth-st One
stone crashed through the front door and the other
smashed large window. The explosion fortu-
nateK occurred when there were few people on
the street an unusual thing for this neighbOrhoOd
The explosion is believed to have been caused
bv gas Keppels bakery was built on the site
of Joncss ale brewery. When the brewery was
torn down some of the vaults were brlcked up
one of them being under the sidewalk II
was a blind vault, and its existence was not
known until to-day. The oven in the bal<eshoI
was built alongside this vault. For several day
there has been strong odor of gas in the bakery
Gasmen have failed TO find the leak. 1t is be
lieved that the gas escaped into the old vault
and was confined there When the fire wa,
started in the last evening the heat in SomC
way communicated TO the gas and IN explosion
followed. 1t Will take $500 to repair the bakery