The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-12-20
.HEARTRENDING
AND TERRIBLE
Awful Catastrophe in the
City of Plttsburg.
A FURNACE EXPLODES
Molten Metal Pours Over Helpless
Human Beings.
OTHERS SUSPENDED ABOVE
Fiery Hest Around Them and No Hope OF
Escspe-Ninc Men Roasted Alive end
Others Blown Away by the
Terrible Blast and Every
Bone 10 Bodies
OTHERS SUSPENDED ABOVE
(By Associated Pres..)

IL oINNI, f<t., +l|SI. I'.--' 'iiN'-
were burned to death and four injured
by an explosion of gas at the Soho fur
mace OF Jones g. Laughlin, Limited, IN
Second Avenue, near Brady Street. to-
day. The explosion was caused by a
slip in the furnace. the sas and flames
belchinc upward through the bell. Inc
men were on the furnace platform 50 feet
above the ground.
There were 10 men on the furnace when
the explosion occurred. Fifteen OF them
were caught i'll the flames Two of them
escaped with slight injuries The other
four We're the regular men employed Us
top filters. and escaped without INJURY.
The explosion was Ca used by the gas
Becoming cnCaSect in crust OF cfnderS
forming at the l:ottom of the furnace.
a wheel-barrow containing ore had been
sent up to the men, and when they went
to dump it into the bell of the furnace
they pushed it over too tar ana 1t roited
into the hopper. The barrow weighed
900 pounds and was too heavy for the
four men to raise; the fifteen laborers,
all Hungarians. We're then sent up 70
assist them Had it not been for the
barrow accident no one would have heen
hurt, as the regular mon knew how to
protect themselves at such times, as
similar explosions are of frequent occur
encc.
THERE WAS NO ESCAPE.
The explosion occurred in one of the
big blast furnaces The ne,, We're at
work at the top of the furnace over ~
feet from the ground. They were en-
ployed as filters. and We're just getting
ready TO quit work, being members OF
the night crew. when the gas. which ac-
,,,r,rlo}a5 in, II f%ffcIef, and
tons of molten metal. cinders and sag
were thrown over the unfortunate men
in the top of the structure.
When the gas let so g. panic ensued
on the small platform about the top
All the men made q rush for the ele-
vator but it had gone down and There
was no escape. To jump meant death,
aud TO remain on the plattos-a "aS J"st
as certain doom. The tons of molten
metal and flames fell upon them and
burned ten men to death. Their BODIES
ciropped to the roof of the mill elSflty-
five feet below. every bone broken ana
an unrecognizabc mass Of human flesh
Hurry calls were sent to the police sta
tions and morSue. Patrols from all sec
tions arrived, and the morSue wagon was
with them. All of the dead and many
of the injured were strcwn about the
ward beneath the furnace. some Of the
DEAD ndN1GS ldll'tll IL i'iii ~.
to the ground. The cries OF the lnJnreC
broke the stiffness which had spread over
the place when the fury of the explosion
am. fire had abated.
The dead, burned. and clarral s.:d mis-
shapen masses of humanity were removed
to the morsue.
DEAD AND INJURED.
When the dead were removed ine ~
jured were tncn looked after IN an
10y, f11.,I ! n
injured we're found. How many injured
there are is not known at this time Inc
injured were hurried to tho hospitals
Ata o. clock Thomas Jones and Arthur
Young, managers OF the plant, gave out
the statement that nine men were Killed
and FIVE wounded. They say that ordl-
narily only three men work on top OIL t'ls
furnace, but this morning about 6;lo
o'clock one of the heavy iron wagons
used in taking UP the ore TO the top OF
the furnace got struck on the Top OF tne
structure and tho three men sent Tor as
sistance. \ few men Vent up hnt-thes
could not move the wagon ana more
went IN until the number reached four
teen. It was while they were trying to
Get t}7e wagon released that the fatal eN-
plosion took place.
All the men at work OH top of the
furnace were Slavs and Poles. Nine of
them were killed outright. and three of
the injured it is feared will die.
TERRIFIC REPORT.
Eye-vitnesses say tina it was the most
horrible sight they ever witnessed. When
the explosion took place there was one
great loud report and the murky heaven
were illuminated with a great sheet of
flame, showing the men on top Of the
furnace running about, gesticulating
wildly The flames and hot metal looked
like a volcano in action. Five of the men
we're blown off the top of the furnace, and
strange as it may seem, these men are
the ones who are still living. Others
hung unto the railing until their cloth
ing was burned off. Two of the victims,
hanging on the outside of the rail. heiu
On until their fingers were burned Off
They then fell to the roof of the mall
lead. Seven of the victims were Iou1o
lead on the platform Of the cupoia'
These were completely denuned of clothes
5y the flames. and their booles "eie
burned almost to a crisp.
Hundreds OF pedestrians on Seconu
Avenue had narrow .esca3es from death
when the explosion occurred 1oiis OF
ore. coke and hot cinders, some pleces
weighing almost three pounds. 'aiheu
down on Second Avenue, and many hdu
10 r,,n into houses and stores Tor pro
tection. Car No. 800, of the Homestead
division. was passing just at the time the
gas LET 90. The coke and other material
failing on the car. which had Twenty-Five
,,assanoer aboard caused a panic. and
=, INV jumped off, but escaped injury.
TONS OF DEBRIS
Over two tons OF the debris fell in Sec
~. Avenue. and a force of fifty men was
,,,t 10 work to clean i. off the tracks.
a,.atr;c vas inpeded. but within half an
,,anr after the accident all the tracks
were cleared.
When the EXPLOSION occurred the men.