St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-14
MID BURNING BENzlNE.
AWFUL EXPLOSION IN A PsNNSYL-
"A YENA T0WN.
MANY BARRELS OF BENzuNE
In a Tank Car Goes Up With a
-. Mighty Roar, Throwing the
Fluid Over People in tho Neigh
borhood-A Large Number of
Firemen Burned, Some Very
Seriously.

J'BRADFoRD. Pa. May l3.-The barrel
house at Emery's refinery in this city
took fire this afternoon, presumably by
spontaneous combustion. and was de-
'stroyed. The loading racks aud five oil
'tank'cars standing on side track of
theaBuffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg road
were also burned. The fire was fierce
one, and attracted immense crowds of
people from all over this locality. While
the firemen were making final stand
aud thousands of people were watching
them there was tremendous explosion.
A tank car holding 4,l0O gallons
OF benzine had let 60 with mighty
roar. Fortunately the burning benZine
which was flung into the air in sheets
OF liquid fire had consumed itself before
settling down over the crowd. The
explosion was followed by pauic that
cannot be described in words. Blind.
unreasoning, pitiless instinct of self
preservation showed itself, and the
weak went down before the strong, in
multitudes of cases. In the frantic rush
to escape what seemed to
THREATEN HORRIBLE DEATH.
In the stampede men as well as
women and children were thrown down
and trodden over by the flying masses
that surged up from behind. Thirty
i've of the firemen were burned so that
the skin peeled off their faces and
hands, and the hair was singed off their
heads and faces. Of the many others
who are slightly burned there is no
record, and the total number of those
burned and injured In the stampede
will probably reach hundred persons.
With all the suffering this fire will cause
the property loss will not exceed s5.0D0.
A crowd of sightseers was within a
hundred feet of the tank when it ex-
ploded, but most of the firemen were
lnassed within half that distance. The
latter were covered by the first flash of
the explosion, but the greater distance
separating the front ranks of the spec
tators from the exploding tank saved
them. There were many DIS
plays Of nerve and unselfsh
courage, as we'll as the sense
less display of selfish cowardice.
Matt Behan. a refinery enploye with
soaked clothing, was standing close be-
side the car when the big tank let go.
The conclusion felled him as if he had
been struck with a sledge, and in a
flash his clothing was ablaze from head
Ito foot. He coolly rolled In the grass
duntil the fire was put out, although he
was badly burned. Then he sprang TO
the assistance OF companion, who was
a, alsoa
; 7o PILLAR OF FIRE,
i bnt who had less presence of mind.
CA,nother man who was a moving mass
cot flames sprang into the creek and sub
merged himself. In the whole crowd
only three men were burned in this
way, The firemen wore waterproof
. canvas coats and hats. and. although
these we're burned black and curled
scrisp with the burst of flames and the
intense heat. they did not ignite. Miss
Wheaton and Mrs. p. Smith were carried
down in the rush, trampled under foot,
and have sustained dangerous injuries.
John l.. CrosOy'S ears are burned to a
crisp and his hands are roasted. He is
foreman of the Whitney Hose company.
G. A. Coleman is very BADLY burned
about the face, neck and hands, and
his lungs are affected from breathing
the fire. He is in serious condition.
The following tiremen were badly
burned and are under the care of physl-
clans: John Meeker, Edward McGraw,
James Dougherty. William Stew.
art, Edward Gardner, Robert
French. John Carr. Charles Coleman.
Bert Coleman, William Griffith. John
I Trxriu l. Murphv and Rorf NiyyoII
allo Liberty Hose company; j. Crosby,
Joseph GotfneI. Rush lockwood, Eu-
gene McCane, John Haskins. all of the
Whitney HUse company; Daniel Regain,
William Carr and William Dixon. of the
Citizens Hose Company; Harry Still
ings. William Hays and Charles Hell
wig, of the johnson Hose company, and
several others, whose names are not
obtainable. r. Ii. McGarvey and Matt
Behan. employees at the refinery, are in
critical condition, resulting from their