The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-10
OVER 20 KILLED AT FIRE.
1900 BARRELS OF WHIsKEY Ex-
PLODE IN BURNING WAREHOUSE.

Government storehouse at Pittsburgh BURNS
Property Toss ut &c.
OoO-Rxpiosions OF whiskey and Am
mouia Tanks WRECK HHouSes-Twenty.
ave Persons Bsiisved 70 Have been KILLED.
P%IrTsBuRe, Feb. 1919 A. M.-By an explosion
OF 1000 barrels Of whiskey here at 1870 to-
night over a score Of persons were buried under
tons of brick and mortar. and at this hour 1t 10
estimated that twenty-five lives have been lost.
A Government bonded warehouse was burned;
1000 barrels Of whiskey exploded, falling walls
crushed adjoining tenement houses. all the
The walls fell at midnight, and at 2 A. NJ. the
rescuing party had not been able to reach all
the bodies.
After the warehouse wall fell in a large am
monia tank shot out Of the burning building
and fell on a small house the alley. crushing in
tho roof and two stories and leaving the four
walls standing.
The house was occupied by tho Sipe family.
Rescuers dug into the cellar and found the body
of Sidney sipe. 10 years old. The father was
bSohAahb uptekAt S"h'hhSo as ~ ehhSohcs SNo
was cut out with axes and was found to DO alive.
n. c. Scott, son Of w. g. Scott. President of
the Chautauqua Lake Ice Company. was look
ing at tho fire with his brother. He was killed
by the falling wall. His body was recovered.
but his brother is still missing.
VIII. Raubonstein's body was recovered and
identified.
The body of ono fireman cd is at tho
Morgue.
Tom Lynch's scalp was torn Off by flying
debris. He is still alive.
Lieut.. Roseland OF A fire company was giving
orders to his men when the ammonia tank blew
out of the warehouse building and took both
his legs off at the knees.
Police Lieut.. Berry's body was the first re-
covered. All the dead were crushed.
Ammonia tanks exploded at intervals of q few
minutes with a report that was heard two
miles. The Allegheny county light plant,
worth fully $500. 900. will probably DO saved.
Police Lieutenant Berry and four fremen
are buried under tons of brick and mortar.
The mmense Union Storage warehouse.
containing moro than $1,000 o worth
of goods is doomed. Other property soon was in
names ana q little after midnight IL was thought
the loss would be 50. 000. 600.
The warehouse belongs to the Chautauqua
Lake Ice Company, and is leased by the Union
Twelfth and Thirteenth streets and Mulberry
alley. 1t Is divided into six warehouses. sepn-
rated by thick walls, with communicating doors.
which are supposed to be closed at night. At
$3.50 p. NJ. smoke was seen issuing from
the windows Of tho third ffccr over
the ice company's plant. which occupies the
south end OF the building. A triple alarm was
sent in, and for three hours the firemen worked
at random. pouring water into the thick smoke.
but seeing no blaze.
One of the departments was a Government
bonded warehouse. where 1000 barrels Of
whiskey were stored. In the other departments.
however. groceries, machinery. and all kinds Of
goods were stored. At 1890 P. NJ. tongues of
flame sprang up in various parts Of the building.
and 1remen were placed In Mulberry alley at
the rear OF the structure.
Suddenly there was a muffled report, followed
by a succession Of explosions. and with a roar
hundreds OF barrels of whiskey exploded and the
rear wall Ut half the building was blown out,
filling up the alley with debris, dragging
down electric light wires. crushing several
smaller buildings, and injuring flremen and
spectators. An immediate rush for rescue was
made. Building Inspector J. A. Brown was dug
out alive. but with both legs broken. Sys.
tematic digging was then begun, and in O few
minutes two bodies not yet identified were
brought out. About twenty persons were
wounded by flying bricks and the ambulanceso of
all the hospitals were sent for.
Noeveler's warehouse. containing 100000
worth of furniture and other goods. caught fire
at midnight. In the rear is the ALLEGHENY County
Light Company's plant. 1t was seen that IL this
should be destroyed the entire business district
Of the city would be in darkness. Small dwell
ing houses In the neighborhood were attacked
by the flames and tenants all moved out