The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-24
EXPLOSION.
Four Men Killed
on Steamer.
Eaphtha Ignited on the
Nutmeg State"
LIQUID Was Used For Cleans
ing Bedding.
Fatality Caused by a Deckhand
Lighting His Pipe.
Deck Was Blown Op:n Under the Craw
Will: They wer; at Supper.
LIQUID Was Used For Cleans
ing Bedding.
Fatality Caused by Deckhand
Lighting His Pipe.
Deck Was Blown Op.n Under the Craw
Will: They Wer; at Supper.

BridgepoWt, Gu, July PA dreadful
explosion occurred at $3.50 o'clock last
evening on the steamer Nutmeg State of
the Bridgeport Steamship Company S
line The vessel was lying at her slip
at the foot of South street.
As result four men are dead, three
Others are thought to be- fatally injured.
and a number more are in a serious con-
dition.
The damage to tie steamer was about
$1,000.
THE DEAD.
The dead are;
Patrick Moran, head shattered; killed
instantly.
Jerry Connors, leg torn of, internal
injuries; died while being taken TO hos
pital.
Jerry O'Connell, both legs shattered,
internal injuries; died at hospital.
Unknown man found dead in hold.
LIST OF INJURED.
The injured are:
Michael Reardon, aged %, burned about
face and neck, internal injuries; not ex-
pected TO live.
Patrick Glennen, 33. n deck hand,
thought TO be fatally burned.
Michael Mcguire 26 probably fatally
burned about face and chest
Edward Lynch, burned about face and
head.
John Hartwell, seriously burned on
chest and arms and limbs.
John Connolly, burned about face and
chest
ALARM SOUNDED.
The men were all connected with the
lt..s..
alarm Of IRE was sounded. The fire,
however. was quickly extinguished, and
the firemen had little TO do but to assist
and care for the injured.
The explosion was probably caused by
the ignition OF naptha vapor. When the
boat returned from her trip to New York
yesterday afternoon, Burton Reed OF this
city, according TO custom, want aboard
20 clean up the forecastle. and sprinkled
the beds ana mattresses1lw naphtha
yapor and then left.
The stevedores were eating supper on
the supper" deck just over the hold,
when ths explosion took place, and tho
men were thrown IN All directions against
the woodwork. Two of the men were
thrown overheard and were rescued un.
injured. while none of the others escaped
unhnrmed.
DECK BLOWN OPEN.
I06 ueCk unucT tHe supper taDle WIS
blown open at least 10 feet wide, while
both sides OF the boat forward OF tho
gangway were torn into splinters and
thrown In all directions A huge mass Of
fragments was scattered all over the lower
deck. and as tar back as the engine
room all the carpenter work was wrecked.
The interior CT the dining room In the
forccastle was completely wrecked also.
An examination showed the hull to be un.
injured, however.
The officials are reticent about the
direcu Gauss of the explosion. 1t was
iirst said that lightning struck the boat,
but 1t was later found that a deck hand
had gone into the hold TO light his pipe.
1t is believed that the lighted match In
the closed forecastle caused the naphtha
vapor to explode.
The injured men were all taken 10 the
general hospital, while the remains OF
the dead men were removed 20 the NOR
que. Coroner Dolen was notified, and will
hold an Investigation today.