The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-12-24
Explosions of Naptha
Threaten Gas Works.
WRECK TWO HOUSES.
w. w. Wakefield Victim of Explosion
From Naptha Tank Car.
WORKING TO PREVENT IT
Oil 10 Sewer Ignitcd, Causing Tremendous
Detonatons at Both Ends and Result-
ing In Spectacular Fire-One
House Rurned aud the
Armitage Company
In Danger.
WORKING TO PREVENT IT

Two fearful explosions OF naptha yes
.crday afternoon shortly after two
o'clock followed by fire. threatened the
lower gas-worfls, the Armitase Manufac-
turing Company, wrecked Two buildings,
partially burned another, and claimed
ono life. that OF Mr.. w. ". Wakefield,
OF No. 2i17 Vcnable Street. Another man,
Joseph McCauley, was blown distance
OF fifty feet by ono Of the explosions,
but was uninjured.
Incidentally, this was one Of the queer
est and most spectacular fires Richmond
has ever known. and being, rs it was
in the arena Of the vast amphitheatre
formed by Libby lIill and ChimEorazo
Park, drew many thousands TO the scene.
The actual monetary loss was compara-
lively small 1t WAS estimated 1T some
thing like sin thousand dollars
In many ways The :i;c WAS remarkable
and had ii not been for the bravery ana
quick work of the tircn.cn there IS no
estimating tic amount OF damage to HE
and property that would have been done
With a railroad tank full of napha burn
ing directly above them, the fire laddirs
tionar'y napits tank twenty yards away
and kcpt them there until all danger
from that source was removed. An en-
plosion of this naptha. would have
wreakcG fearful results. Chief Fuller
1ersely described the awful possibilities
OF this explosion when asked if the sta
,ionary naptha tank had exploded.
Nc" he replied. III il had we
wouldn't be here now.
WHERE THEY HAPPENED.
These Two explosions took place at the
,noutI: and o:it!et of sewer which eX-
tends under Williamsburg Avenic. from
1lIc ArinitaSe Manufacturing Company,
eoutI TO Ciiliies Creek, distance oil
perhaps five hundred feet. The explosion
at the northern end set fire to the napth'a-
saturated treste, used Jointly by the
lower gas-works and the ArmitaEc Com
lany on which stood car tank or
n3ptha one carload of tar ana SeXerai
carloads of coal. The explosion at the
southern end of the sewer wrecked I"o
houses. "A frame structure in Lester
Street. occupied by. Joseph Hoffman. ana
tho brick structure in which MIS-.
Michael Hogan lives and has saloon
The force of this explosion was so great
that il destroyed windows. doors, wrecked
the bar and knocked down two men Whf
were. .passing in Lester Street l'or Sllact
of two or three minutes the iiames shot
straight into the air for Il distance OF
eighty or "a hundred feet. setting IRE
10 The underground around the mouth
OF the sewer and blowing out the prlek
work there. Fortunately no one was IN
i,Ired at this lower explosion, despite Inc
destruction done. At the northern ohd
explosion. however. tie damage was
great. ,,,,
frN u
or tank WAS tllrawn onto the treste
for Tho lower Sas-works. Behind TINS
stood a carload OF tar, consigned TO thc
ArmitaSe Company. and toward the iiNel
were four or five cars Of coal. The car
of tar and the naptha IN the tank Weie
DESTROYED. the double dwelling adjoining
TO tho cast was badly damaged by Wa'e!
and fire The trcStle VAS weakened ~
,hat il will have to be replaced. and us
coal cars had 10 be moved to remove
thcm from danger.
REMARKABLE FIRE.
The fire in many ways WAS remarkable
- seems from all that can be learned,
that IL started in an opening to ms
sewer in the gas plant. The sewage was
covered with naptlia from tue icakass
~ tb, car tank: therefore, when iSnlted
lba flames flashed to the mouth at lhe
,,o,..b and 10 the outlet at the souttf' ie'
shifting in the two explosions. Just how
,bc fro ever reached the sewer IS
mystery. Insurance was small, 1nat VI
tho double dwelling being about SOW.
Mr.. Wakefield was killed. VINE u ...s ~.
TO stop the leak and thus save u'e "a o'
tank of naptha from an eAplosiol,.
accompanied by Mr. McCauieS' -. ~, =,
90 tbis tank and they were at Work OF
40 ,oals when the fire flashed up tie nap
,ha.sodden posts of the tresue. instanti:
there followed a fearful explosion. III
W.akefeld received the full force OF I'M:
explosion and was killed instantly, oe!Iis .,ls
.carfplly burned. Ills body fell from 'h
+rost,e 10 the ground. but it was severi
,oinutes before it could be reached ps