New-York tribune., 1901-11-27
FATAL BOILER EXPLOSION.
TWENTY-SIX DEAD AND TWENTY-FOUR
IN HOSPITALS.
BRINGS ADDED HORROR AND DAN
GER TO THE CATASTRoPHY


GER TO THE CATAsTRoPHY.
Detroit Nov 26.-Twenty-six men are dead. |
five of them so burned and blackened that
identification is impossible and twenty-four
other men are in the hospitals suffering from
and burns and other injuries. all the results
OF the explosion of of the boilers in the Penn
berthy Injector Company's large plant at the
corner of Abbott-st. and Brookiyn-ave. at 9:3o
a. m. In addition dozen or more Of the en-
ployes who suffered comparatively slight in
juries were taken directly to their homes. Twen-
ty-five men and boys have not yet been found
at either their homes the hospitals The uu-
identified bodies account for ten of these. To-
night a. great force of men is searching the ruins
by electric light. and the work will not be
stopped until every foot of the debris has been
examined.
The Pemberthy Injector Company's plant oc-
cupied half a square at Abbott-st. and Brook-
lyn-ave. It was composed of two brick build
ings. separated by a 16-foot alley The rear
building in which the boiler was located, and
which was completely destroyed. was three
stories high. a feet in depth and 100 feet WIDE.
The boiler was in the northwest corner on
the first floor. 1t was in this building that most
of the manufacturing done 1t is Impossible
to tell exactly how many men were at work
in the various departments of the rear building
when the explosion occurred, DuI tne OiiiCldio
insist that the number was not over eighty-hve
There were four boilers in the plant.
LIKE REPORT OF CANNON
The crash came without warning. Those in
the front building said it seemed like the con-
cussion from immense cannon. The floors
and the roof of the rear building bulsed up
ward and then crashed down with their heavy
loads of machinery and foundry apparatus
Windows in houses for block around were
broken by the conclusion, and flying bricks filled
the neighboring yards. dense cloud of dust
arose. which, it settled, was succeeded ny
denser clouds of smoke and steam. Agonized
cries began to come from the heap of tangled
wood. metal and bricks Those who were only
partly buried dug themselves out. and then be-
gan to dig for their comrades. Flames broke
out almost Immediately and the horror OF hre
was added TO the suffering of the imprisoned
ones a fire alarm was turned in and calls were
sent for all the am nn1ulances in the city.
WAGONS USED AS AMBULANCES-
Pending their arrival neighboring houses were
turned into temporary hospitals, and those pny-
scians who were in the vicinity eased the suf-
ferers as much as they able The first
aubuIances on the scene totally made
quate to carry those who had already been ex-
tricated, and express wagons and similar We
hicles were pressed into service
AS soon as the gravity of the accident was
| realized calls for additional hremen were sent
in and the apparatus came flying to the scene
| from all parts of the city. The Department OF
Public Works was notified of the horror' anu
! Immediately sent all its available men ano
! horses TO the scene. In comparatively sho!I
! time all the laborers who could work 10 ad-
| vantage were feverishly digging away the deorls
| The floors and roof had fallen at an angie ano
| formed a sort of huge cover. under which the
| fire burned fiercely. Not until the hrenen nao
| chopped through this did their streams Desih
! oiabI eff n
| Engineer Riley was among the first TO be aug
| out from the wreck His escape was httie short
! of miraculous. When the boiler burst ne was
| thrown down and one of the smaller testing
| boilers was blown over him in such way tha'
one end rested on some DEBRIS nlgn aoo'e !iiI nir,
| thereby forming a shield that kept the 1ailihs
| tfmbers bricks and machinery from crushing
him. , burned hin,
| frightfr1Ilv After his arrival at Grace hos
! pitaI Riieys first words We're How did i, IL
| happen? The engine ana poAeIs "eie an
, right"
| GROANs CEASED TO GUIDE.
| Gradually the rescuers worked their way
| downward through the pile. BY this time tnere
| were no cries or groans to aid the1h' Ior inc
! aan,as had DESTROYED those unfortunates who
1,ara not killed by the explosion or the IAN A
! vacant house adjoining the factory vas con
| ,rgrtad into a temporary deadhouSe- Here the
| bodies were placed collins and taken 10 llle
! nearest morgue In several cases the charreo
| cornses were so hot when they were re-
| that they COulu SCdICelS NC
| nv the undertakers and their assistants
| AT the Emergency Hospital. whcn was
| only a short distance from the scene ana @ Wiele
| MANY OF the injured were carried in wagons
| the floors of the reception rooms and even the
| halls we're used as a temporary resting place
| FOR the victims Similar conditions existed at
| Grace and Harper hospitals
The other building of the plant sustained COM
| paratively little damage All the "lndows. pL
! course were broken, and some of the machinery
! was injured by the jar. A dozen girls were
among the employees on the four floors OF this
| b,,iIdine hut none of them were injured.
The property loss. according to secretary
George w ChIds. is about S1So.ooo- the nTIn
carried $4,000 fire insurance and some poller
insurance -, ss.
have been started
the exnIosion The boilers had been inspector
recently and the engineer was known as one
of the most careful and capable men in the
city.