Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-07-14
EYE EVE INJURED.
John Kelly In "a Precarious Condition.
The chief ana the Other Firemen Re-
ported Doing Well.

The Chief ana the Other Firemen Bo-
ported Doing Well.
Ali the firemen who were injured at
the gasolene explosion in the cellar
northeast corner of Front and Market
streets, Saturday night, are reported
getting along well but John Kelly who
lies at his home, southeast corner Third
and West streets, in quite precarious
condition, a trained nurse from the
Homeopathic Hospital is in charge, and
the attending physician, DIR. Howard
Ogle, has forbidden any visitors. His in
juries comprise u bad burning of the
hands, face and neck, and it is feared
also from some internal injuries caused
by the heated gasolene fumes which he
inhaled. The best of care is being taken
of him.
Chief Engineer Dennis s. Shields is
getting along very well His most in
jury is in the hands, which are badly
burnt. The attending physician, DIR.
Wales, thinks that if the chief takes
good care of himself he may be out in
two or three days.
Joseph @. Dryer, Jr., was seen by the
reporter on Monday at his home, No.
All King street. His face, neck and
hands are badly injured. He wears a
mask, but is sitting up. lie chats cheer
fully and to all appearances the state
ment OF his physician, DIR. Blocksom,
that he will get well, are borne out.
The story of David Leasing, through
whose carelessness tho fire originally
arOse,is simple enough. He said Monday
morning that he went down the cellar
about TAO o'clock with Il quart can to
get the gasolene. He struck match in
order TO see what he was doing. He
claims he got the oil and then turned off
the spigot. lie threw the match away
and just as he was leaving he found the
floor afre. In his efforts to put ont the
flame his trousers were burnt.
Following this an alarm was struck
by Sergeant Chambers at box No. %,
Second and Shipley streets The de-
partment quickly responded. The fire
was cxtinguished, as it was supposed,
and all the fire engines started home.
Chief Engineer Shields, with First
Assistant James NJ. Dickerson, remained
behind with two or three iiremen to
make an inspection of the premises, as
is usual, for the purpose of seeing that
the fire was thoroughly eXtinguished.
The chief had suspicious of incendiar-
ism and called for an officer. Accom-
panied by Sergeant Ingram the two
went down the steps. They found the
spigot of the gasolene barrel open and
tho oil running out Mt full head. This
was seen by the light of the lanterns
which the tiromGn had. Dryer and
Kelly were already in the cellar neal
the barrel and the chief and assistant
nearer the doorway. The latter had
started for the cellar steps when sud
denly there was terrific explosion
The cellar was mass of flame. A
tongue of fire bust out 10 feet into the
street. How the firemen escaped with
their lives is a mystery to this moment
Chief Shields and Mr.. Dickerson attrib
ute their escape to the fact of theil
wearing their gum coats and tiremen'!
hats How Dryer and Kelly escaped i.
problem, as their predicament was By
far the worst. The former was standin.
within 10 feet of the exploding barre
and facing it. Kelly had gone arounC
into one of the deep recesses of tn,
cellar, cropping for his lost hat. Bryce
managed to scramble out after tn,
chief. The latter told the crowd tina
there was another man in the cellar
: For some reason or other nobody wen
| 4
length Kelly was discovered blind anc
da1od, plunging around in the water a
if he had lost his senses. This was thu
actual fact and willing hands immedi
ately bore the unfortunate man upstair
and then to Danforth's drug store.
The second alarm was quite 25 min
utcs after the first. All the fire com
panies had gone home. They had I,
harness up again for the second fire.
The popularity of this fire is tn,
strange feature fits being extinguishet
and yet its breaking out again under tn
apparently unexplainable circumstance
as reported. In the first place il dem
onstrates that water is IL very poor ex
tinguisher of an oil or gasolene fire
What is needed in fire of this kind i
; chemical eXtinguisher Some of til
undesirable light blue gas flames mus
have been floating on the water in
dark corner of the cellar The ligh
. of a lantera might easily be insufticien
to disclose the faint blue flame.