New-York tribune., 1901-01-06
REPORT ON TARRANT FIRE.
FIRE MARSHAL RECOMMENDS REFER
RING TO DISTRICT ATTORNEY CUES
TION OF CRIMINAL. NEGLECT
CAUSE. CHLORATE OF
POTASH EXPLOSION
POTASH EXPLOSION.

rs-e Marshal Seery, VINO. in connection with As
.sstsnt District Attorney Walsh, has been inves-
,eating the fire and explosion the building occu-
ied by Tarrant e. CO., at No. 2s to 2S2 Greenwich
:, in the latter part of October i'm which seven
re-sons were killed, seven buildings destroyed and
,,,rty-hve buildings damaged made his report to
fire Commissioner Scannell yesterday.
after explaining the character of the building OF
,arrant & Co.. the uses TO which il was put and
So difficulties encountered in ascertaining the
.-.,r,-e Of chemicals stored there. he says:
In view Of the loss OF life and the destruction of
nroperty respectfully recommend that the testi-
rev in order that he may aid us in determining
X there is any criminal neglect or the part Of said
corporation Crarrant & COB.
Fire Marshal Seery said that he had examined
,nrtv witnesses To the cause and origin of the
e,nosion The investigation had shown that the
rhole building used by various firms in the
,anu,acture Of drugs and the storage of chemi-
al. Part of the third floor used for storage
on she fourth floor stored 80 of chorate
% notash 100 barrels roll sulphur. AZ barrels of
souers of sulphur. A barrels OF fior.r Of sulphur
w kegs Of nitrate Of strontia so kegs of nitrate Of
,ariuu and other chemicals by different drug
Iouses The fifth floor cont ined drying room.
The building was erected In 1892 and was sub
+antsl heated by and lighted by electricity,
.hs building having its own electric plant
rrna report sets forth that frequent repairs had
tsen made I'm electric lighting apparatus by the
engineer OF the building. without any notification
a. tbe Board OF Fire Underwriters, to the Build
.ug Department, as required by law The steam
n,nes ran from the basement TO the top moor. ahd
,hesa mines We're heated TO 80 degrees for drying
rrnoses Between the floors and ceilings on each
soor were laid tar and pitch paper OF highly
,o,,h,,stible nature. These tar papers came close
% she steampipes. The report says that the tar
nsner coming I'm contact with the steampipes was
f,yslv 70 ignite or could easily be fgnited by
s,s-s from an electric WIRE OF could be fgnited py
chemicals Thi. might cause an explosion where
,here were gases emanating from chsrnicals.
The shipping department was on the hIst iop.: I
ger1on+ e Co He killed In the iire. ldtlte
could De learned TO the character ana ausisuL sL
"a ,hs Chemicals stored by Tarrant & Co.. as lAis
wss entirely In the charge OF Moorhouse:
80 Tsrrarlt & Co, and the manner IN which ahairs
were conducted. ., o,o o..a Y,
Ire total damage is estimated at sie'''e'- III
was psrtly covered by insurance No.
~ ~ the Bureau Of Conlbustibies. CID not grahe
hermit for the storage OF chemicals IN laiss
ouartifies but granted permit for the storage vi
erern,cals in small quantities
sr seuarafe report, states that from tie lsslA.
ynonv IL would appear that the eSpiosal9h. s "s1S
caused bv the chlorate Of potash on the tira at1u
fourth floors. There had been notalns eIss os
Mss Eavden and others. who saw smoke issulls
from the fourth floor, II appears tnat tiils liusN
Lsys haen the floor where the explosion or lsilaua
Professor Chandler says that chIorSee, % tTSfsr
evrosed 10 heat il gradually dlssolves anu elksI
oN oxygen. This gas would make nre purn Mlen M
,.-asser Herceness Professor Chandler says IL was
moi known that chorate Of potash Wonia s1pio@e oc
Cured in the chemical works OF 81 heleh IN
Lancashire, England.