Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-14
BLOWN INFRAGMENTS
Terrible Disaster on a Transatlantic
Oil Vessel.
THE ElKS IN SESSION
STEAMSHIP BLOWN TO PIECES.
Many Lives Lost Through An Explosion on
Petroleum Transport.


BokDEsux. June A-An appalling aeciacn,
occurred today jus; outside the hArbor Of Blays
on the river Gironde. twcnty-four miles north
east Of this city. Lying "a the ha-hor wns the
British steamer retrolia. Commanded by Capt.
Hubbeck. which had arrived June y from
Philadelphia The usual routine work was
being performed on board. when suddrnlv there
was fash. tremendous roar and the vessel
was blown TO pieces. Huge fragments of he
deck and deck houses we're carried upward % a
great height The shock OF me eN-
plosion alarmed the town and hundred.
of persons rushed % the Wharves % dis
cover the cause Of the nuise. il being ,houcht
by many that the magazine Il one 81 the fo-sS
defending Blaye had blown up The river was
strewn with wreckage from the Petroiia. and II
was said That the disaster was due 20
an explosion Of gas that had formed
from the petroleum comprising her cargo.
Burning oil was foa,ins on the water ms
drifted with the tide. and floating against sew
ersl vessels lying 81 anchor nea- by set them on
FIRE. Two or three other vessels were ignlred
by burning oil that tell on their decks OF tarred
rigging.
The Petrolia was burning furiously and the
heat was 90 intense that II wHs dangerous Tor
the many small bosts that were laancll.d 20 cp-
proach near 10 her. Dense volumes "f -tifling
black smoke hung over and around the bu N
ing steamer. Some of the more ven
turesome Of the boa'mrn h.-ard cries
for help and rowed NJ closely ~ POS ihle TO
the Petrolls. They succeeded an packing an
sixteen Of her crew. three OF her on,iueers
and the second o.icer. Some e the rescued
men were severely burned. They scue raLen
Ashore rapidly possible aud Ihy-
sicians were summoned 20 attend them.
The survivors said there were twenty Others on
board the vessel when the explosion occurred
and a search was made in the vicinity Of 'he
steamer for them. hut not body found,
and it is believed that every one Of these twenty
men persisted.
The crews Of the other ve-sels that caught
fire did their utmost to quench the flames, but
their efforts were frutles, and s,me of the
craft-mostiy vessels engaged In the riyer aud
coasting trade-were burned 10 the waters
edge.
PHILADELPHIA. June la-The tank steam hin
Petroiia. which Is reported DESTROYED by nm eN-
ploson in the harbor OF Bisye, France, sailed
from this port on Mny 70 within full cargo II sS1 =
525 gallons of crude petroleum, valued 4t over
S22.8eo The cargo wns loaded here by Arnold
katz, but the shippers were Miller. Schall a 90.
Of New York, who consigned IL 30 BAye tor or
ders. A full list Of the crew Il not obtsinsble
here, as most OF the officers aud weu
vessels arrival here, however. eight Of
the crew deserted and the following
we're shipped in their places; firemen, Andrew
Huhtinen, Samuel Foster, John Bullen, John
BRYAN. Fred ANelson; seamen, Antoon Roger
and Charles Mannion. Capt lubbock well
and favorably known here, and for
merly commanded the steamer Tsncsi-
vile. The Petrolia was not con-
nected with any regular line running from
this port. Her tonnsges was ,5l6 net length.
292 feet inches; breadth, 81 feet inch; depth,
IL feet inches. She built in January,
1890, at stockton, registered at London and
owned by the Petroleum shipping Company,
| limited, Of London