The herald., 1896-01-22
GAS EXPLOSION AND FIRE
Brought Death to Workmcn and De-
struction to Building
Gas Tank Failed to Stand the Test and
Seven Men Were Killed or
Injured

New HAVEN, Conn, Jan. 21.-Three
men were killed and four received serious
injuries today by the explosion of gas in
the four-story building. owned by English
& Mersick, and occupied by the owners,
who are engaged in the manufacture of
carriage hardware, and f. Pfegler & Co.,
hardware manufacturers.
The explosion set the building on fire
and it was destroyed with the greater part
of its contents, the loss amounting to
about 100000. There were about forty
people in the building at the time of the
accident, and for time the report was
current that fully half of these had per-
isned.
Following is a list of the casualties:
Dead: Joseph Hauser, machinist.
William Stevens, kookkeeper.
- Too f, workman.
Injured: James T. Mcneil, machinst,
badly cut about the head and shoulders.
f. fflegler, badly burned.
Alexis kreh, foreman, burned about the
head and upper portion of the body.
Frank L. Richter, laborer, bruised and
cut.
The explosion took place in Pfegler's
warerooms where the gas tank was being
tested. Hauser, who was doipg the work,
was killed instantly, his body being terri
bly, mangled.
Two bodes supposed to be those of Will
lam Stevens, bookkeeper, and a lad ma med
Toof, were taken from the ruins after the
fire had been subdued.
FIRE AT ST. LOUIS
ST. LOUIS, Jan. 21.-As the result of a
fire tonight in the building at Ais Broad
way, five firemen are buried in the ruins
and ono is dead. Four of the men in the
ruins arc thought to be dead. as nothing
can be seen or heard of them, while tne
fifth, B. Miller. of the salvage corps No. L,
can be heard, and it is hoped to rescue him
alive. Owney Hines, foreman of truck
No. 6, who was taken from the burning
building soon after the fire started, badly
sutfocated and cut, died while being taken
to the hospital.
The total loss caused by water and fiIe
is estimated at fully 100000, fully in-
sured. Aloe d Co. Place their loss at about
100000, and it is thought The loss on the
building will amount to $4,000. Several
thousand dollars damage was done to the
stock of Jordan & Co., Az Broadway.
At l:l5 Wednesday the firemen sue
ceeded in rescuing X. Miller, who was
taken to the hospital. His left arm was
broken and his body badly bruised, but he
is not fatally injured. The tiremen are
now working at pile of debris with the
proSpecu OF soon Retlng out the DodeS or
the missing men, who are undoubtedly
dead,
At this hour (2:l 5 a. n.y. the firemen
have cleared away considerable of the de-
bris piled on top of their comrades and
faint cries can be heard from the center of
the heap, which is ceiling high. One Of the
men said he could recognize the voice of
Captain Staunton and thew are redoublng
their efforts to get the imprisoned ones
out.
1t will take several hours to go to the
bottom of The wreekage, where, it is hoped,
to find the four men alive.
NATURAL GAS EXPLOSION
CINCINNATI, o., Jan. 21.-A special to
the Enquirer from Red Key, Ind. says:
At 7:l5 this evening a terrible explosion
occurred at the pumping works of the nat
ural gas pipe line at this place. A twelve
inch main was blown out and all the build
ings burned. Five men were working at
the pumps. Engineer Sam Goodwin of
Fair View cannot be found. He is sup
posed to be dead in the burning ruins.
Engineer Watkins of LAFAYETTE is fatally
burned. The other men escaped with
slight injuries. The main burst and the
fire and explosion followed. This cuts off
the gas supply of all Western Ohio.