The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-08-20
HURLED SKYWARD.
A Furnace Blows Up in Carn-
egie's Iron Works
At BraddOck, Pa, at Five O'clock
This Morning.
MN MEN KILLED.
Many Are Injured Beyond Hope
Of Recovery.
Fire Scattered in Every Direc-
tion Doing Much Damage.

PITTsBURG. Aug, 2O.-An explosion at
furnace Fl at the Carnegie Steel COM
pany at Braddock at o'clock this morn
ing killed nine men, injured sixteen
more and destroyed $4,000 worth of
property. Five of the injured will die
All of the killed and injured were Hun
garians except James Harrison, the fore
man. Their names have not been o5-
tanned.
The explosion was due to chang" in
the furnace, which suddenly was loosen
ed and dropped into the molten metal
below, generating an immense quantity
of gas so suddenly that it could not es-
cape by the ordinary means and the e1-
pl0sion followed.
The terrible loss of life was due to a
peculiar cause. A few minutes before
the explosion occurred one of the top
filters dumped barrow of material into
the bell of the furnace, which he had
forgotten to raise. This clOgged the top
of the furnace and prevented the gas
escaping.
A gang of sixteen men in charge of
James Harrison were sent at once to the
top of the furnace to remove the OBJ
struction. All were closely crowded
around the bell of the furnace removing
the material which had been dumped on
it, when there was terrible explosion,
and men, barrows, tools and material
were hurled in all directions.
Flames, deadly gases and smoke
belched from the furnace top and the
gang of men fell as if shot. Only one
was killed instantly. He was blown from
the top of the furnace, along the metal
roadway to the elevator shaft, down he
fell and striking on a car, was cut IN two,
one half of his body falling on one half
of the car, and the other half on the
other.
The explosion was heard all over Brad
dock, and crowds at once rushed to the
scene. but none expected to witness such
horrors. A relief crew was quickly
ganiZed and went to the top OF the fur
mace. where lay fifteen men bleeding,
torn, burned and dying.
The flames and smoke were still COM
ing from the furnace and the work of
rescue was dangerous in the extreme,
but covering their hands, faces and heads
with clothes, the rescuers went bravely
to work. The injured men were all lean
ing over the mouth of the furnace when
the explosion occurred.
Three men died before they reached
the bottom OF the elevator shaft and the
other six died between and o'clock
this morning As fast as the injured
top they were removed to an imprOvised
hospital in the company's Office and the
Company's staff of physicians and medi-
cal aid from McKeespOrt and Pittsburg
summoned.
Five of the men were SO badly burned
and terribly injured that the physicians
did not deem it necessary to remove
them to any hospital, as death seemed
inevitable in a few hours and no hospital
oil fhaf oe
the men who were on top of the furnace
when they reached the ground we're re-
vived, and there being some hopes for
their recovery, they were taken to their
homes.
The contents of the furnace wera
blown out and scattered for hundreds of
yards around the furnace, falling in all
parts of the yard, cutting and burning
about ten men who were working below,
bat none were seriously injured.
The fiery shower fell on the carpenter
shop of the company about 100 yards
from the furnace and it was soon in
flames and was destroyed, with its con-
tents The bell of the furnace was shat
tered and scattered; the roof of the house
was crushed in and ruined; the contents
of the furnace were scattered abroad and
the belief is that the furnace is badly
damaged and may have to be rebuilt.
1 this should be the case the total dam
age will be $4,000.
The Braddock fire department was call
ed out and prevented the spread of the
flames and the members also aided in the
work of rescue and did police duty.
The scenes as the men were carried to
the office or the company were intensely
exciting and pathetic. Women and child
rem rushed frantically and guards
were powerless to prevent them from
rushing into the improvised hospital and
dead house in search for some member
of their families.
Tears and lamentations, anxious faces
and agonized expressions, wringing of
hands and tearing of hair, were all wit
messed around the scene of death and
destruction, and the stoutest hearts were
moved to pity.
The homes of the killed and injured
men we're near the furnace, aud the
streets in that vicinity were filled with a
mass of weeping, half crazy women and
children, and that part of Braddock is
indeed house of mourning.
Later reports from the Braddock ex-
tplOsiOn indicate six men killed, fatally
injured three more and seriously burned
fifteen others Property valued at $780,
600 was destroyed The names of the
killed were:
STEVE HEvRELA. cut in twain, 80
years old; leaves wife and two child
ren.
JOSEPH TUcKAY, SO years old, burned,
leaves wife and four children.
JOSEPH CoPP, burned, 80 years old,
single.
JOHN MEKA, burned, 25 years old, sin
gle.
JOHN PooKoPovEIE, burned, s5 years