New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-12
NARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH.
A HOUSE BADLY SHATTERED BY A GAS
EXPLOSION.
THERE WERE FOUR PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING.
BUT NO ONE WAS INJURED-FURNITURE
AND DECORATIONS DEMOLISHED.

AND DECORATIONS DEMOLISHED.
An explosion of Illuminating gas in the house
No. 239 East Scvcntccnth-st. Yesterday blew out
the front windows of the first and second stories.
knocked all the plaster from the walls and cell
incs Of the hall. rrccption-room and paror. rid
died carpets and furniture and broke the floor
Ing into kindling wood. Four persons were in the
house at the time. but they escaped injury The
only person hurt by the explosion was a laborcr
who was on the sidewalk His head was cut
severely by broken glass. Carclcssness on the
part of gasmcn probably caused tic accident
The house is owned and occupied by Mrs. Sarah
f. Merrill. 1t is a narrow. foursiory structure
Of the English basement style, with brovnstonc
front The basement contains a laundry in front
and kitchen in the rear. On the first floor are
the hall, small rcccption-room beside it. and
the dininG-room. which is over the kitchen. The
parlor is on the second floor in front. and broad
landing separates it from the rear stting-room.
Mr. and Mrs. Rufus Lanedor and their daughter
live with Mrs. Merrill who is Mrs. Lanedon 5
sister. Two servants. Maggie Corbctt and Maggie
Holand. also live in the house. Thomas Horn. an
old lrishman who lives in Firsi-avc.. has been
employed at odd Jobs about the house every day
recently.
Several days ago n strong smell Of gas was
noticed in the basement laundry. and on Thursday
Mrs. Merrill went 10 the Office Of the Consolidated
Gas Company. at Irving Place and fiftccnth-st,
and made complaint. Men were sent 10 stop
the leak the same day They tore up the street
and front yard and found that the service pipe
was broken at the wall Of the basement. II was
dark when they found the leak. and they quit
work after patching up the pipe. Yesterday morn
ing they went back and finished the job. 1t WAS
10 a. IN. when they went away. They
said everything safe them but
there was strong smell Of gas IN
the laundry. Maggie Corlcti and Maggie Io-
land shut themselves in the Kitchen where they
were at work Horn sweeping ont tie hall
and cleaning the front steps. and he had the
'front.' door open The Langdons had gone out,
leaving Mrs Merrill in her room on the third
floor At 1910 a. m. the explosion oe~rrcd.
The house was shaken Violently and the report
was loud enough 10 he heard in al the rcighboring
houses Policemen Cullen and Newman. Of the
Eighteenth Precinct. Heard the explosion, and
they were two blocks away. The only person il
front Of the house was James Kelly, ahorcr. ~
NO. SOB last Niuciccnth-,t. who was iss'ng.
Fragments of glass and spintcrs Of wool wcf'
hurried across the Sidewalk, and some of tncin
struck Kelly Oh the head, cutting his lace ana
s,alp. lie went 10 lsl.ctuc no-p4tNi u get nia
wounds dressed Horn WAC kuorNcd down IA the
hall hy the plaster which fell upon HIM lie
WAS dazcd Tor minute. J hen hc Thought "i
Ms. Merrill. and went upstairs 10 look for her
She WAS suffering from shO X and fright, and VS.
laIf sufo oclt.d by The dust which atusr through
the house. Horn ur-ed her 10 leave A"f room al
once. She wished 10 'olicc' SOME money ana
jcxelry. but he sid the house ni-ht tumble
down. " Get on my back and il carry YOU, hc
said Tie stopped down, ar iiAi ric coma i'il
her hands over his shoulders. and tAcn hc carried
hcr downstairs 10 The street he Two servants
had run into the back YArl and wcrc screaming
for help Ncishhofs hockci 10 tie street. ana
Miss Kelly. living at No. 2l@, took MIS- MrIIlii
Policeman newman rang for thc ircmcn. and
when inc cneiic, arrived tAc stree WIS hiicd with
an cNcii'I crowd blaze nc started in NE
laundry clus. T." one Of fhr windows. rut tlc fire
men c\fn.aishcd o. quickly. An examination
showed that Tie damage WIS confined - the mont
Of Tie house. IN thc basement and FIRST and second
stories Ever, thing in the laundry had been
smashed. The fuor'us Of tie ball and f'ccn'i"u-
room above had been carried away and r.rf0-
thing IN The Tcccptiou-ruom hnd been demolished
I'm the parlor on the second floor inc wreck was
ddc.l as IL hy discharge Of grape shot. and som"
Of tie floor beam, were hroNcn. The plaster
from the cciliu. and orr wall had dfoppci into
The basement alon- with remnants Of oil punt
ings furniture and hric-a-brc. Lace curtains
and shade, had gone ouf iut" the street WIN ne
window frames. \ few oil paintings against the
east wall aud some battered chairs and tables re-
maincd on the floor beams
The rooms in tie rear Of the house and above
The sarnNl story were coated Wild Ii-i ana DOW
dcrcd plaster. bat were not otherwise injured
After the ilcincn had cleaned up some of the rub
hish and had made TIE place safe. H." servants
went back 10 clean ~ TIE rooms ~ the rear and
top If The house. Gas poured ont of a break ia
the pipe IN the basement. but mrn were aci IN
work 10 stop the leak They were not ilc same
men who rcpaircd ihc pine in the morning
Mrs Merrill sid size thouohi fhc Consolidated
Gas Company would be- held responsible FOR the
damage the extent Of which could not be c~il
mated yesterday. The police estimated tlc dam
= IL .T,.. . .ttataI
il was said the accident would be- investigated.
bat That The cause Of the explosion not known