The San Francisco call., 1896-08-04
WAS SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION

One of the strangest accidents that
could happen a gasoline launch caused
the wreck of the launch Henrietta las
evening.
Her owners. Frank Darling, Charles
Darling and John Durney, had just Sc
cured a contract with grocery firm and
laundry company to do their shipping
and Frank Darling rowed out to the
launch where she lay off Long Bridge
last evening to see that she was in good
order. He made fast his boat and stepped
below, but as he opened the cabin dool
there came an explosion that blew him
backward into the water and wrecked the
launch.
Darling, though badly shaken up by the
explosion, rose to the surface almost i'm
mediately, only to find that the snrface o.
the water had been covered with burning
gasoline. and that he was swimming about
in the midst of it.
He dove at once and swan under water
for some distance, but he lad to come to
the surface twice before he got outside the
circle of flaming oil. Then boat, which
attracted by the explosion had put off
from shore, picked him up.
In the meantime the launch had been
burning merrily and to save her the rescu-
ing boat came alongside and knocked a
hole in her.
The explosion without doubt was caused
by the gasoline tank. 1t was situated in
the bow of the boat and had been filled
only the day before. 1t is supposed that
some leak allowed the oil to escape, and
this generating gas in the cabin caused an
explosion when the door was opened. Or
it may be the sun shining through the
cabin windows had heated the gas gener-
ated to such degree that it was exploded
just in time to catch the boatman as he
opened the door.
The cabin was blown to atoms and the
launch was set on fire. The oil from the
tank had been scattered through radius
of twenty feet and was being slowly borne
by the tide toward some valuable yachts
lying near by, the little patches of greasy
fluid blazing merrily as they danced along
The yachts were quickly moved out of
harms way, however, and the flaming oil
burned harmlessly until.it went out.
Darling was down at the wharf yester-
day experimenting the raising of his boat
He was considerably shaken up by the ex-
plosion, but otherwise was not badly hurt.
THAT was the narrowest escape from
death / ever had in my life," said he.
"The thing occurred SO suddenly that I
didn't know what struck me.
II had just made a contract with
Sixth-street grocery firm and laundry
company to do their shipping and was
just going to get the boat in shape to start
in Immediately, but no sooner had the
cabin door half open than 1 received a
terrible shock and knew no more until I
found myself in the water, whose surface
was one mass of burning oil and terribly
hot.
81 knew it would be folly to undertake
to swim through it on the surface. but by
a succession of short dives, and swimming
under water, got out in safety. l was
rendered assistance just in time, for swim
ming with my clothes on weakened me
and l couldn't have gone much longer.
at was a clear case of spontaneous COM
pustion, and although ordered the best
quality of gasoline tank I was given
defective one and through this the acct
dent was caused, but am glad to have es-
caped with my life"