New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-07
EXPLOSION, FIRE AND DEATH
ONE MAN KILLED AND THREE INJURED
IN AN EASTERN DISTRICT FACTORY.


Bl1LDING-woRKMEN INJURED AND ONE
cHARRED BODY FoUND-FIREMEN
WORKED UNDER DIFFICULTIES.
The explosion of tank Of naphtha on the top
floor of the three-story brick building occupied
by the United States and Canada Decreasing
Works at Montrose and Stewart AYES, Brook
lyn at 80 o'clock yesterday afternoon wrecked
the building killed one man outright ana IN
tured three others badly that they Will PROB
ably die The injured are all in ST. GATHERINGS
Hospital.
zEcK George twenty-five years old Flushing and Irving
INJURED.
MILLER william twenty-five years old No. %? lener-
son-st burned about the body. head face ana haHos.
Tushwick-ave burns about body and internally injured
MILLER George hftysix years OLD enginesT MasP',n
ternaly
GEORGE. Alfred en- face; attended by ambulance
surgeon and not removed
At the time of the explosion there We're five
men at work in the building. William Miller and
George Geek were on the top floor. while the
others were on the ground floor. The entire
third floor was blown away and 50 terrific was
the force of the explosion that all the buildings
in the neighborhood trembed to their foundations
and MANY people rushed from their homes, seek
ing escape from what seemed to be an impend-
ing collapse.
Following the explosion the ruins caught fire.
One Of the first u give an alarm was Mounted
Policeman Henry Nichols. He was at Johnson
and Morgan AYES. where he was startled by the
explosion and saw the building shattered. spur
ring his horse he galloped to the house OF Engine
Company No 81, on Morgan-ave, where he gave
an alarm. The fremer FASTENED to the scene
and calls were sent to St. GATHERINGS ana the
Eastern District hospitals for ambulances.
The building had frontage OF sixty feet ana
an extension of one story the west side. which
was used as the engine and boiler room. This
by Frederick Turney. of Nottingham. f.nelan"
and were started three years ago Ihey .had
secret process of extracting oil from sheep
hides and making il valuable. small tanneiy
was carried on the ground hOor, Whlle the
process Of extracting the ell was conducted on
the second and third floors. The naphtha was
used in the business. Near the boiler and en-
gire- house were forty barrels Of naphtha, sew
eral of which took fire and flooded the meadow
buildings with 200 yards of the works. and the
fremen had only the burning building to battle
with.
BLOWN OFT OF THE BUILDING.
When the explosion occurred Engineer Miller
was in the engine-h house. and the falling bricks
and beams crushed the frame structure and al
most buried Miller beneath the wreckage. The
other workmen blown out of the building
and William Miller's clothing took fire. Alfred
George who was in the building and managed TO
escape with a few cuts about the head. saw
Miller lying where he had fallen, and with the
assistance Of others. tore the burning clothing
from his body. 1t was then found that he was
fatally burned. BY this time the ambulance ana
fremen reached the scene While the firemen
turned their attention to rescuing the imprisoned
men and fighting the blaze the ambulance sur
geons attended the injured as fast as they
were turned over to them.
Foreman Wackermann. of Engine Company
No 81 heard the groens of man coming from
the burning wreckage of the boiler and engine
room. Wackermann. with Assistant Chef Per
ry rushed through the smoke and saw the head
and feet Of a man protruding from beneath the
burning timbers Calling several fremen, haIf
dozen streams of water We're turned on the
spot and the burning timbers eXtinguished
While the rescuing party was at work, Miller,
| who still conscious. pleaded with Assistant
Chief Perry not TO send him 10 hospital
should he be gotten out alive
Il may be unconscious when taken out or
dead" said the unfortunate man. but should |
be alive have me taken 10 my little home and
family. where can look into their faces when
die"
The fremen worked bravey and after a short
time had the imprisoned man free. He had be-
come unconscious. but owing to his severe in
juries. despite his request he was taken to the
hospital.
ZECK'S BODY FOUND
After the others. with the exception Of Zeck
had been accounted for, the firemen. as soon as
they had extinguished the flames sufficiently,
began a search. 1t believed that he had
been killed, and o'clock the charred body Of
a found in the ruins There moth
Ing but the trunk remaining The body was
taken to :he Sixth Precinct, where it was ident-
fled last night.
The flremen suffered Intensely from the cold.
and the water frOze to their clothing, adding to
their discomfort During the blaze Assistant
Chief Perry induced some of the spectators to
1arpy 0bar of haY ad u.itb apht ha
from the yard of the works to places OF safety.
None Of the men in the building able to
account for the explosion The plant valued
at 500 900. and the damage is estimated at $s 900.