Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1891-12-05
MET INSTANT DEATH
Mysterious and Fatal Explosion in
an English Town.
OVER THIRTY PEOPLE KILLED.

Guests of a Hotel Buried in the
Ruins and Crushed or Burned to
Death-Three Buildings Blows to
Atoms-Some Miraculous Escapes.
Heroic Attempts at Rescue.
LONDON, Dec. la most mysterious
explosion occurred at Blackburn, city
of 100000 population, thirty miles from
Manchester, and three buildings were
blown to atoms. The streets in the
vicinity of the explosion were full of
people, when suddenly, and without a
moments warning, the earth shook,
there was a tremendous report, and the
air was filled with flying bricks, timbers,
broken glass and. all manner of debris.
The houses which were destroyed
were in the Blackburn market, naturally
one of the most frequented parts of the
town, and the scene which followed was
indescribable. The people We're wild
with fear and ran in terror from the
market place. Many of those who ran
awav had been struck by the flying
debris, and with blood pouring from
their wounds they added to the terror of
the people.
Buried Under the Walls.
The Crown hotel and two stores on
Victoria street collapsed Immediately
after the explosion. From the ruins of
the hotel the most heartrending cries
issued. The entire building tumbled in
upon those unlucky enough to be in the
building. There were, according to re-
port, at least twenty people buried in the
ruins of the hotel, while over dozen
are said to have met death in the ruins
of the two stores.
There were number of miraculous
escapes from death. When the build
ings fell, after the explosion, number
of people were passing. Among them
was woman with child in her arms.
A mass of bricks fell on the woman,
killing her instantly, but the child es-
capped without injury. A boy belonging
to grocery store was on his way into
the Crown hotel with basket of groceries
when companion jokingly stopped him
and ran away with a box of mustard
from the basket This caused the gro
Gerry boy to run after the lad who was
teasing him, Just as he did so there
was heavy, dull, explosive sound, ap-
parently from the cellar of the hotel,
and in another moment the building
was heap Of smoking ruins.
Shrieks of Agony.
Cries of horror arose on all sides. The
two stores also collapsed and then the
flames sprang from the hotel ruins and
shrieks of agony could be heard as if
from the depths of a furnace.
Several heroic efforts to save life were
made by the police and firemen. One of
the latter, in attempting to rescue
child whose cries could be heard in the
ruins of the Crown, fell into the flames
and was so severely burned that his life is
despaired of. 1t was only with difficulty
that he was rescued by his comrades.
The number of dead is not positively
known, but it is judged that the major
ity of the bodies will be found in the
ruins of the hotel. All that remains to
be done is to overhaul the ruins and pick
out the dead.
Many terrible scenes of distress have
been witnessed about the ruins upon the
part of those who have relatives among
the missing and who fear that they have
met death in the ruins. One poor woman
with five children clinging to her skirts
and babe at her breast is the center of
sympathy and interest in the crowd.
She is supposed to be the wife of the as
sistant cook of the Crown.
Five bodies have already been recov-
cred. They are burned or crushed
almost beyond recognition. The police
estimate the number of dead at thirty
two.
The cause of the explosion still seems
to be mystery.