The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-18
DEATH BY AMMONIA
TANK ExPL0DEs ON STEAMSHIP
NEW YORK.
FIFTEEN WERE OVERCOME.
STEWARD AND sTEERAGE PAssEN.
GER DIE.

steward Nent's Death Caused by
Pneumonia Resulting From InhaI-
ing the Fumes-Eng kivist Said to
Have Been 81 Sufferer From Heart
Disease-His Three Little Children
ON Board With Him--Con siderable
Damage to the Ship.
New York, March, 17-The steamship
New York reached her dock at 10 o clock
tonight after a passage on which an
explosion of an ammonia tank and a bro
ken shaft caused loss of life and much
damage to the vessel.
AS result of the explosion fifteen men
were overcome by the fumes of ammonia
OIL Thursday morning last, and SO Sc
rlously Frustrated that two deaths fol-
lowed. Both victims were buried at sea-
Several others were confined to the ship $
hospital for some time and one was still
in the hospital when the ship locked. The
dead are John Kent, a steward of the
vessel who died of pneumonia thirty-six
hours after the accident, the disease being
due to Inflammation of the respiratory or
gans. caused by the ammonia, and Carl
Engkivist, an American citizen, a steer
age passenger. whose address was unob-
tainable tonight, On board with Engki-
visit were his three children, all of whom
are young and who will go to the home of
an aunt.
f. Colston, cabin steward, is still suf-
tering from Inflammation of the lungs.
According to a statement made by
superintendent James A. Wright of the
American line, after he had gone on board
the vessel and talked with her officers, the
explosion or escape of ammonia, as il
was termed by Mr.. Wright, occurred at
$50 o'clock Thursday morning. The bon
net of the condenser on the refrigeratins
apparatus was forced in some manner.
The apparatus is in the after portion of
the main deck, on the starboard side. Mr..
Wright said he had been unable to as.
certain the exact cause of the escape of
ammonia. He said he presumed the pres
sure was SO great that valve was forced,
thus forming an incipient explosion.
Near the refrigerating apparatus at the
time were eleven stewards, steerage and
0-tN AAAhNSh SACSi age DHSSSHGeTS.
When the ammonia fumes burst out into
the compartment which is on the same
deck as the main dining saloon there was
mad rush for escape! Some were over
come by the fumes and dropped to the
hoor Others were able 20 get out of the
room, and efforts were at once made to
open up the compartment and let the am
monia escape. This took some little time,
however, and those who had first escaped
after getting breath of pure air, rushed
back into the place and assisted those
who had been unable to get out INTO places
OF comparative safety.
All were wore or less Frustrated by the
fumes, but only a few had to go to the
ships hospital The stewards, Kent and
Co-ston, We're among them, as was Engk-
visit. Engkavist's death, according to the
statement of Superintendent Wright, was
primarily due to heart disease, but 1t was
said that it was superinduced by the
shock and by inflammation Of the lungs.
Engkivist had been under treatment by the
ships physician prior to the accident for
heart disease. There were fifteen treated
by the physician as a result of the am
monia fumes being inhaled, but all except
those named are now doing well, Superin-
tendent Wright said, and would be en-
tirely recovered in a day or two