Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-01-05
MANY FIREMEN INJURED
Terrific Explosions of Natural
Gas in Chicago.
SEVERAL OF THE WOUNDED DYING

A Number of Employees OF the Print
ing House in Which the Accident
Happened Also Seriously Rurt-Brav,
Rescue of Imprisoned Firemen by TheiJ
Companions.
CHICAGO, Jan. 5.-The explosions Of
natural gas which wrecked the lower part
of the great printing establishment OF
Donohue & Henneberry last evening
were terrific, and it seems almost a mira
Gle that no one was killed outright. As
it is, over score of firemen, including
the Chief of the Fire Department and
several laborers, are seriously injured.
Two men are dying and several others are
80 seriously burned that they cannot re-
cover.
Those fatally injured are:
James Russell, fireman, burned about
the head and internal injuries.
Thomas Gallagher, fireman, internal
injuries and face almost burned off.
The explosion was in the plate vault
which is located Immediately beneath the
sidewalk which is formed of heavy iron
frames covered with glass and iron.
During the early part of the afternoon
three employees of the Natural Gas COM
pany had been at work in this vault,
making connections that were to be used
in supplying the boiler plant with fuel.
As precaution the doors of the vault
were closed. Shortly befor o'clock
Foreman Robert Granger of the press
room, noticed flames in the vicinity of the
brick wall, which extended between the
press room and the vault. Without
waiting to open the vault doors the fore
man gave an alarm of fire. He then re-
tuned to the basement when some one
threw open the vault door.
Instantly there was an explosion and
nearly of the employees who were in the
vicinity, about ten in number, were
thrown to the floor, all sustaining more
or less serious injuries.
Within a few moments members of the
hre insurance patrol and hose engine COM
panles were on the spot headed by Chief
Swenie. The squad of firemen rushed to
the basement and had no sooner reached
the vault door than second and stronger
explosion followed, and all the men were
hurled to the floor or across the room
against the wall on the opposite side
which they struck with terrific force.
Several of the men were rendered sense
less, and the flames which had ignited
their clothing roasted their hands and
faces in the most horrible manner.
Other tremen were close behind them,
however, and for few minutes the fire
was left to take care of itself while the in
Jured men were being rescued.
Before one half of them had been taken
out, and while the basement was full of
men working with desperation to save
their helpless comrades, came third ex-
plosion mora terrific than either of its
predecessors, and the would-be rescuers
were laid beside the men they had come
to assist.
A score of gallant firemen sprang into
the vault to rescue the men who had been
injured, umdeterred by the danger of
another explosion, and cheered on by
Swenie the tiremen worked as men can
work when their own lives and the
lives of others are trembling in the
balance.
One by one the burned and battered
men were dragged from the basement and
as the last one was taken out Swenie
called out Now, out for your lives,
men, " and there was u rush for the upper
floor, which was made just in the nick of
time, for Il fourth explosion came, which |
made bricks, mortar and ironwork fly
like feathers and gave the chief scorch- |
ing as he beat II retreat, that he will re-
member for many long day.