The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-01-28
A%CETYLENE EXPLOSION.
Three Persons Killed and a Big Building
Destroyed.

Three Persons Killed and a Big Building
Destroyed.
New HAVEN, Conn, Jan. 21-The
five story building on Crown street,
opposite the Orange, was Quilted by
tire just before noon to day. The fire
originated in the quarters on the Sec
ond floor, occupied by Frank Phlegar,
a manufacturing machinist, and this
gentleman acknowledged this after
noon that he was Experimenting with
the new illuminant, acetylene, at the
time.
The first intimation that there was
of the fire in the building was the ap-
pearance of immense sheets of flames
bursting through the windows and
straight across the street. An instant
previous there had had been an explO-
sion, which shook the centre of the city,
and was felt to a lesser degree for q
distance of two Or three miles. An
alarm was Immediately rung, but be-
fore the department arrived at the
scene the flames, fed by oils and other
combustible material, had penetrated
to every portion of the building, and
shooting through all the windows in
immense volume, assembled high above
the structure.
In the Phlegar machine shop new
gas engines were being put in order.
While Joseph Hauser, a tool maker,
was at work on one. it exploded with
a terrific report. The whole front of
the building seemed to bulge cut, and
fragments of heavy plate-glass windows
were hurled across the street against
the Chamberlain building and into
Orange street.
HaUser was killed by the explosion.
His right leg was torn off at the ankle
and the left left leg twisted under him.
Charles Fox. the engineer, although
cut and bleeding himself, carried the
dead man out of the building, which
was then rapidly being enveloped in
flames.
Hauser was forty years of age and
had a wife and two children.
In q few moments an immense crowd
had surrounded the building, and the
rumor spread that thirty or more per-
sops in the big building had been killed.
It was some time before the police and
fremen could allay the prevailing eX-
element caused by this rumOr and as
sure the people that but one unfortun-
ate had lost his life in the disaster.
There were employed in the building
in all fifteen men, and all Of these, in
Guiding the helpless Hauser, have been
accounted for.
The superintendent of the building, a
Mr.. Denslow, who personally knows
every n in any way connected with
it, is authority for this statement. The
first great explosion was followed by
the minor ones, but the department
had then got we'll to work, and by IL 80
the fire was under control and all dan
ger passed. The loss is 800, 900.
Later examination of the ruins
showed that s. T. Toof, aged forty, and
Harron Stevens, aged twenty one, were
burned to death. 1t is said that Toof
and Stevens, both employed by E J..
Toof, remained behind to lock a safe
and secure some valuable papers. Soon
after the fire broke out Stevens was
seen at the window, and was told to
wait a moment and a ladder would be
sent up. He answered that he would
get some things from his desk, and
throwing out some books, went away
from the window. He was not seen
again. How Toof met his fate is not
known, but was found very near Mr..
Stevens.
Three hours after the fire was under
control the bodies of Toof and Stevens
we're found by the firemen. 9TH bodies
were burned beyond recognition, and
were identified only by means of par
ticularities Of clothing or papers in the
pockets.