New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-26
THE ALCOHOL CAUGHT FIRE.
INSTRUCTOR NORTHRUP. OF COLUMBIA,
SERIOUSLY BURNED.
HE AND TWO OTHER MEN HAD GONE INTO THE
CHEMICAL ROOM WITH LIGHTED CANDLE

CHEMICAL ROOM WITH LIGHTED CANDLE
THE INSTRUCTOR MAY DIE.
An EXPLOSION of alcohol in the cellar OF the
Columbia College School Of Mines at Park-aVe.
and Fiftiethst., yesterday injured three men ana
started a fire The flames caused only snght
damage to property, but one Of the injured men,
who has been an instructor in the school, was
believed to have received fatal burns
In the Office of the superintendent OF the IN
stitution the following information concerning
the injured men was obtained:
JOHN L. NoRTHRuP, aged thirty, instructor in zoology.
burned dangerously the head. arms hands anu es'
. removed TO ele Presbyterian Hospital.
WILLIAM SIMPSON, assistant jantor burned seriously
on the head and hands sent to Bellevue Hospital
THOMAS TIGH, head jantor, slightly ourneu on ''.'
face and hands. He went TO his home a. NO W N"''
sterdam.aye.
DIR. Northr1p was graduated from the School
OF Mines in 1884 and afterward obtained fci-
lowship In the school. During the last college
year he was instructor in zoology He was mar
ried. and lived in Yonkers. Soon after noon yes
terday he went into the cellar Of the School OF
Mines with the janitor and his assistant to get
some alcohol which was needed for the preser-
walton of geological specimens in the laboratory
upstairs They went into small compartment
of the cellar where chemical supplies were stored.
and beqan 10 draw alcohol from barrel into
glass jars.
One Of them carried lighted candle and
that ignited the fumes of the alcohol The ex-
plosion scattered the alcohol over the three men
and broke some vessels containing chemicals which
also took fire.
At the time of the explosion only few persons
were in the building, the school term having
closed An employe on the first floor saw Dr.
Nortbrup run out of the cellar with his clothes on
fire and he threw water on him. Other employees
helped to tear the burning clothes from DIR.
Ncrtbrnp's body. His hair had been burned
from his head. and his face, arms and legs were
blistered. OIL was procured and poured on MS
burns to allay the pain, but his suferings were
SO intense that he could not make any explanation
of the accident. Simpson and Tigh had followed
him from the cellar, but they were found 10 DC
less seriously burned.
An alarm called the firemen, who. quickly put
out the flames in the cellar. only chendcals haG
burned in that part of the fre-pro0f building, ana
the damage did not amount to 81 90. The hremen
called ambulances which carried Dr. Northrup ana
young Simpson to the hospitals llgh refused 10
go to hospital and went home aiteG ms bnme lSUe
is at No. ssl Eignth-ave. The Janitor told the
police that the explosion must have been caused
by the light which they carried into the ceIlar.
IL was said that they had been cautioned not to
take light into the compartment In which the
chemicals were stored. . ,
Al the Presbyterian Hospital, where DR.. North
rup was taken 1t was said last night tnat "nne Iae
suffering from nervous shock and exhaustion.
DR.. Hopp, the house surgeon, was with DT.
Northrup at midnight and announced mat MS
condition though serious, was far from hopeless
None OF the Doctors family, who live in ionkers,
was with him last night as the surgeons told
them there was little danger.