The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-06-15
DEATHONTHE WATER
A Steamship Blown Up in the
Harbor Of Blaye.
TWENTY SUPPOSED TO BE DROWNED

An Oil Laden Steamer, the PetroIia,
from mPhiladeIphia,S Struck by Light
ming - An Explosion Followed.
Other Vessels Set on Fire by the
Blazing Oil.
BORDEAUX, June 15.--An appalling
accident occurred yesterday just outside
the harbor of Blaye, on the river Cir
onde, twenty-four miles northeast of
this city. Lying of the harbor was the
British steamer Petrolia, commanded
by Captain Hubbeck, which had arrived
June 12 from Philadelphia. The usual
routine work was being performed on
board, when suddenly there was flash,
tremendous roar, and the vessel was
blown to pieces. Huge fragments of the
deck and deck houses were carried up
wards to q great height.
The shock of the explosion alarmed
the towns, and hundreds of persons
rushed to the wharves to discover the
cause of the noise, it being thought by
many that the magazine of one of the
forts defending Blaye had blown up.
The river was strewn with wreckage
from the Petrolia, and it.was said that
the disaster was dne to an explosion Of
gas that had formed from the petroleum
comprising her cargo. Burning oil was
floating on the water. This drifted with
the tide, and, floating against several
vessels lying at anchor near by, set them
on fire. Two or thre other vessels were
ignited by burning oil that fell on their
decks or tarred rigging
Saving a Portion of the Grew.
The Petrolia was burning furiously,
and the heat was so intense that it was
dangerous for the many small boats
that were launched to approach near to
her. Dense volumes of sitting black
smoke hung over and around the burn
ing steamer. Some of the more ven-
turesome of the boatmen heard cries for
help and rowed as closely as possible to
the Petrolia. They succeeded in picking
up sixteen of her crew, three of her en-
gineers, and the second officer. Some
of the rescued men were severely
burned. They were taken ashore as
rapidly as possible, and physicians were
summoned to attend them.
The survivors said that there were
twenty others on board the vessel when
the explosion occurred, and search was
made in the vicinity of the steamer for
them, but not body was found, and it
Is believed that every one of these
twenty men perished.
The crews of the other vessels that
caught fire did their utmost to quench
the flames, but their efforts were fruit
less and some of the craft, mostly ves-
sells engaged in the river and coasting
trade, were burned to the waters edge.
Further information from Blaye shows
that a thunderstorm was prevailing at
the time the explosion occurred, and
that the disaster was caused by light
ming striking the vessel.
The Ill Fatcd Steamer.
The destroyed steamer sailed from
Philadelphia on May 25 last, Messrs.
Peter Wright g. Sons being the agents for
the owners. The vessel was laden with
926, 900 gallons of crude petroleum. She
was built in Stockton, England, in 1890
and was commanded by Captain Hub
bard. She is recorded as being 1881
tons gross and |, $40 tons net burden, 292
feet long and 81 feet broad. AT the of
flee of Peter Wright g. Sons in this city
no further information on the subject
could be obtained Several cablegrams
were received by the firm that the ves-
sci had been destroyed, but no particu-
1stra xunra fyiyan