The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-14
CRUSHED UNDER FOOT
Panic Among Thousands Witness
ing a Fire at Bradford.
Women and Children Trampled and
Thirty Firemen Burned in an Ex-
plosion of Benzine.

BRADFORD, Pa. May 13.-The Barrett
House, at Emerys refinery, in this city.
took fire this afternoon, presumably by
spontaneous combustion, and was de-
stroyed. The loading racks and five oil
tank cars standing on a sidetrack of the
Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg road, were
also burned. The fire was a fierce one and
attracted immense crowds of people from
all over this locality While the frenen
were making a final stand and thousands
of people were watching them, there was
a tremendous explosion. A tank car hold
ing 400 gallons of benzne had let go
with a mighty roar. Fortunately the burn
ing benzine which was flung into the air
in sheets of liquid fire. had consumed it
self before settling down over the crowd.
The explosion was followed by a panic
that cannot be described in words Blind,
unreasoning, pitiless instinct of self-preser-
walton showed itself, and the weak went
down before the strong in the frantic rush
to escape what seemed TO threaten a hor-
rible death. In the stampde men, as we'll
as women and children, were thrown down
and trodden over by the flying masses.
Thirty-five 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 in
jured in the stampede will probably reach
a hundred persons. With all the suffering
this fire will cause the property loss will
not exceed 5000
A crowd of sightseers were within one
hundred feet OF the tank when il expoded,
in half that distance The latter were
covered by the first flash of the explosion,
but the greater distance separating the
front ranks OF the spectators from the ex-
many displays Of nerve and unselfish cour-
age, as well as the senseless display of
employe. with oil-soaked clothing, was
standing close beside the car when big
tank let go. The concussion felled him as
If he had been struck with sledge, and in
a flash his clothing was ablaze from head
TO foot. He rolled in the grass until the
fire was out. although he was badly
burned. He then sprang TO the assistance
of a companion who also a pillar of
fire, but who had less presence of mind.
Another man who was moving mass of
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 were burned
black and curled crisp with the burst of
flame and the intense heat. they did not
ignite.
Mrs. Emma Wheaton and Mrs. F. Smith
were carried down in the rush, trampled
under foot and have sustained dangerous
injuries.
John j. Crosby's ears are burned to
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 handsS and bis longs are
affected from brea thing he fire. II is In
nremen were badly burned AMI are der
the care OF physicians:
John Meeker, Edward McGraw, James
Dougherty. William Stewart. Edward Gard
iner, Robert French, John Car, charles
Coleman. Bert Coleman, VIII am Griffit 1
and Bert Fizzle all h OF he .I,y LIP .rty r hose
lockwood Eugene McCane and John Has
kins. all OF the Whitnay h s. compa ~; I;
Daniel Regan. William Carey a d William
Dixon. OF the Citizens hose company: Harry
Stiilingss William Hays and Caarles Hell