The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-13
A HOT METAL EXPLOSION
THE T. b. LAYCOCK MANUFACTURING
PLANT DAMAGED $4,000.
Most of Ut Caused by Fire-Several
Employees Severely Burned
by the Iron.

An explosion of molten metal poured
into a mold in which it is supposed there
was water, started a fire yesterday morn
ing at 7:30 o'clock in the plant of the I. B.
Laycock Manufacturing Company makers
or iron bedsteaus and like furniture which
caused it is estimated, $4,000 damage. The
company carries $25.5OO insurance with
Robert Zener & Co. and $4,000 with
Newton Todd The buildings of the COM
pany are at Tenth street and the canal.
Three of the buildings were Quilted and the
machinery was ruined.
Harry Andrews, George Nelp, Frank
Daggey and Thomas Codery we're working
in the foundry A ladle full of molten iron
which was poured into the pig bath" ex-
ploded. The hot iron flew every way and
the four men were painfully burned. 1t
seemed that ball of fire flew through the
brick partition between the foundry and the
japanning room. Naphtha in tank caught
fire and exploded, and the whole place
burst into flames. The explosions made lit
tie noise and employees in other parts of
the plant were surprised when they saw
the men, women and girls running from
the buildings which were on fire. An
alarm was sounded Immediately and the
employees all got safely out of the buildings.
Before the fire department could get to
work the blaze had spread to frame
building used by the shipping department.
1t burned rapidly and fiercely. The space
between the buildings and the canal is mar
row, but several companies crowded in. An
engine was located on a wooden bridge and
began pumping water from the canal. The
working Of the engine swayed the bridge,
and it was decided that for safety's sake the
engine should be moved. Several valuable
minutes were lost in running the engine on
to solid ground. All effort was turned to
prevent the fire spreading to the two re-
naming buildings and some nearbA houses.
BY this time almost the whole department
was working on the fire. Captain Wesby
had charge of two companies fighting the
fire from the roof of the engine room. 1t
was discovered that the fire was eating the
building under them, and streams were
turned into the building to prevent the roof
falling with the firemen.4 Several tiremen
were caught by timber falling in the frame
building, but none was hurt IL was .
o'clock before the blaze had been subdued.
Harry Andrews was more seriously
burned than any of the other employees, lie
was taken to his home, ~ North senate
avenue, by Captain Dawson He was
bruised and his burns were very painful.
He will recover. The other men were
burned about the hands and arms. When
ing buildings they left behind them their
belongings, and these were lost.
The fire is most disastrous to the COM
pany at this time because Of the rush OF
orders, and a large amount Of stock was
destroyed The company was 5000 orders
behind and the plant was running night
and day. Mr.. Layeock telegraphed for ma
chinery to replace that destroyed. Until an
examination of the brick buildings is made
it will be impossible to determine whether
the walls which suffered most must be
torn down. There is hope that this will not
be necessary About 230 persons were en-
ployed at the plant.
The firemen complained that the water
pressure was weak, but CHIEF Barrett sald
chief engineer of the water company
claimed there was q pressure of 12O to l2o
some local reason for lack of pressure.