The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-06-15
A NATURAL-GAS EXPLOSION
1t Destroys a Dwelling and Injuries Six
Persons, Two of Them Seriously.
The Match Some Person Lighted Causes the
Accident While a Plumber Looks for a
Leak-SomebOdy Has Been Careless.


ing from natural gas occurred yesterday
afternoon, at 4 o'clock, when the frame res
idence at No. IA East New York street
was destroyed and six persons injured, one
or W of them perhaps fatally. The ex-
plosiOn sounded like a sharp clap of thun-
der, and the conclusion was felt some dis
lance from the place where it occurred.
Even the window panes in the courthouse.
three squares away. were ratified. For
several squares around the wrecked dwell
ing window panes were broken.
and before the cause of the
disturbance was located there was some
thing of a panic in the neighborhood. The
house in which the explosion occurred
could not have been more completely
wrecked if a double charge of dynamite
had been exploded under it. 1t was a seven
room. story-and-a-half building, fronting
south, with IA narrow portico on the south
west corner. The roof. some of the walls
and chimneys were thrown out of place.
Covering the entire yard, a portion of the
street, and the yard of the residence adj
joining on the east, were pieces of
timber. The force was SO terrific
that framework 6xS inches was snapped
asunder, and large pear trees in the yard
were broken. The frame residence adjoin-
ing on the east, occupied by George Adams
and family, was moved several inches on
its foundation. The west wall was sprung
six inches or more, and nearly all the win
dow panes were broken. The brick house
on the west, occupied by Hiram HI. Plumb,
was also damaged.
fHha aronra;ni,,r al - Al n~,xl~ol J--~11
ing were: E,
Mrs. ELLA KuBURN, the occupant
LOUIS FAHRBACH, a painter.
JAMES p. o painter.
FRED l.. MCGAHAN, a plumber.
HENRY HOLMES, a labOrer.
y. STONE, an expressman.
Mrs. Kilburn and Mr.. McGahan were
seriously Injured. When the explosion oc-
CURED they were near each other, just in
side the door leading from the portico to
the ~sitting-room. Mrs. Kilburn was
hurled against the wall of the
orick dwelling adjoining. and pinned
beneath q pile of debris. She was
burned and her right knee was fractured.
Sheawas soon taken from the debris and
carried into the residence of Mr.. Adams,
where she received medical attention from
DR.. Combs. She was afterward removed
TO the residence of her father, William w.
Johnson, at No. 236 East Vermont street.
Her injuries are of a very serious character,
but DR.. Combs has hopes of her recovery.
Mr.. McGahan was thrown backward with
the front wall of the building. and fell in
the yard. None of his bones were broken,
but he was badly burned about the face,
arms and hands. 1t is thought, also.
that his spine IS injured. The sight of
one of his eyes was thought to be
destroyed. He retained his presence of
aDOut the h0uaa ran I'm q nhVSlcIanfa ntfipa
on Massachusetts avenue, a ha~lf-square
away, and asked for relief. He soon be-
came partially unconscious. After his in
luries had been dressed he was moved to
MS home. No. % Plumb street. Under the
influence of 0piates he was resting easy last
night, and the attending physician says it
viii take a day or two to show how serious
the burns are.
Fahrbach. the painters, was almost
miraculous. They were painting in the
Kitchen when the explosion came, and
were thrown, with the falling timbers, into
the yard. Mr.. Crowder fell undera portion
of the kitchen roof, which pinned him to
the ground, and he remained in that posi-
ton until the firemen released him. He
was injured internally by the heavy tim
bers falling across his breast, but was not
burned any. He was able to walk around
after being released, but was taken to his
home, No. 1TS Davidson street, in on ambu-
lance. Mr.. Fahrbach was struck by several
pieces OF timber, and received a
scalp wound. He too: escaped being
No. A Paca street. Neither Mr.. Stone nor
Mr.. Holmes were much injured. They
were in the front room. placing a piano in
position, and were thrown into the front
Der and considerably bruised. The two
children of Mrs. Kilburn, BERTHE, aged
fourteen, and Aggie, aged twelve. had a
narrow escape. They were playing in the
within o few feet Of where they stood.
They were both struck by the flying pieces
of framework. but neither was Scared or
bruised.
The house was the property of DR..
| Waterman, and until last Monday was oc-
cupied by George Hawkins. The day after
| he moved out it was re-rented to Mrs. Kill
burn by Charles Reynolds, agent, and
that lady began moving in on Thursday:
| When the house was rented it was agreed
that it should be reprinted. Yesterday at
noon. DR.. Waterman contracted with
| Frank Fertig to do the work. and he his
| foreman. Mr.. Fahrbach. and Mr.. Crowder
to the house. Mrs. Kilburn said she would
have the gas connections made herself, and
| Thursday evening that work was done.
That night the neighbors detected a strong
odor of gas, and yesterday morning DR..
Waterman was notified. He went to the
| turned off the gas. In the meatime Mrs.
Kilburn continued her moving, and still
detecting gas during the forenoon. sent for
the plumber, Mr.. McGahan. He came a lit
tie before 4 o'clock, and was met OH the
portico by Mrs. Kilburn. She says
she told him hat the neighbors
were complaining of the smell of escaping
gas, and that he must do something to stop
it. He replied that he would have to
notify the gas inspector, but would locate
the leak before he went away. He then
entered the back room, and as 1T was dark
in there, lighted q match. The instant be
did SO the explosion occurred.
Superintendent Pickett, of the Indianap-
oils Natural-gas Company. who reached the
house n few moments after the explosion,
and turned the gas from the house, says the
escaping gas could not AVE ZONE from a
leak. The entire house, he thinks, must
have beer full Of gas from an open
or uncapped pipe. But Mr.. Hawk
ins says when he vacated the
residence he employed a plumber
TO d~isconnect the service pipes. and saw
that all the pipes were carefully capped.
After the explosion il was found that there
was no cap on the pipe to connect with the
kitchen stove, but it might have been torn
of by the explosion. 1t was the opinion of
all that some one had been guilty of negli-
genee, and from all the information that
could be obtained the plumbers seemed to
be at fault. The fire department., as well
as undertaken Kregel0 and his force Of en-
ployes, did good work in rescuing
and caring for the injured persons.
In five minutes after the accident, Chief
Dougherty. of the FIRE department.
was on the ground, and an alarm of
fra soon hrouOhf savaral oonnaniae fbara