The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-26
HORRIBLE ACCIDENT
TERRIBLE EXPLOSION AT GERMAN
CHEMICAL WORKS.
200 KILLED AND INJURED.
FLAMES CROSSED RIVER AND IN
VADED A TOWN.

Boilers of EIectrO-Chem emicaI Works
Exploded, Setting Fire to Factory
BuiIdings-The Number of Dead
and Injured Believed to Exceed
15O-FIames Cross the River Main
to SchWanheim-The Frankfort
Fire Department Called Out, but
Could Not Check the Flames.
Frankfort, April 26.-One of the most
disastrous explosions on record occurred
this afternoon at the electro-chemical
works near Griesheim. where smokeless
powder is manufactured. Most of the
pendous that it was heard at great dis
tances including Frankfort and Mayence.
The factory Immediately became mass
of flames and a northeast wind carried
the sparks to neighoring villages, where
several houses were also set on fire.
Eighteen cylinders, each containing
about one hundred weight of smokeless
powder, were in the room where the eX-
plosion occurred.
Troops were at once ordered to Cries
helm to prevent the fire spreading to the
large benzine reservoirs near by. Fire
brigades from every place in the neigh
borhood hurried to the scene, but owing
to the dangerous nature of the disaster
and the fear of a renewal of the eXposion,
the greatest difficulty was experienced in
stopping the progress of the fire. Only
after five hours of strenuous effort was
the confiagration to some extent con-
trolled and the danger passed, so as to
make it possible to begin the work of ex-
tricating the bodies. 1t is feared that
nearly 200 persons have been killed or in
jured.
Chemical Boilers Exploded.
Frankfort, Germany, April 25.-The boil
ers of the Griesheim Electro-Chemical
Works, near Griesheim, exploded this af-
ternoon and the factory caught fire. Fifty
persons are reported to have been killed
and 40 injured The three boilers of the
works exploded. The explosion was heard
here. The Frankfort fire engines. ladders
and ambulances have gone to the scene
of the disaster.
The number of dead and injured is es-
timated at $50, but cannot be determined
until the list of employees of the chemi-
cal works cen be compared with. the sur
vivors. The fire continues to burn, al
though the greater part of the Frankfort
fire department and the troops are try
ing to prevent its spread to the build
ings outside of the fire zone. Hospitals
have been improvised in the vicinity. The
f5oy ioin
ing up of watts of chemicals in the ex-
plosive department of the works at 3
o'clock this afternoon.
They spread with frightfuI rapidity to
the adjacent buildings and then ran over
the river Main to Schwanheim. When a
second explosion occurred the fumes and
gases of burning chemicals made it i'm
possible to stay in the vicinity. The in
habitants of Griesheim were ordered to
leave their village, which they did, flee
ing to Frankfort.
The last explosion occurred at 1880 p.
M, and when it was ascertained that no
further danger was anticipated the inhab-
itants were allowed to return to their
homes.
The Search for the victims.
At $50 o'clock the fire was still burn
ing in the center, and the work of taking
the bodies from the ruins was being car
ried on by torchlight, gaslight not being
| obtainable.
All railway traffic with Frankfort was
stopped during the fire, except for trains
/ carrying the injured, but it has since
| been resumed.
Four sheds for dressing the wounds OF
! the injured have been erected. The catas-
trophe originated in a small fire which ig-
| nited several receptacles of pioric acid
4 causing a terrific explosion. The houses
/ adjoining the factory were partly burned
| and partly demolished by the violence OF
/ the explosion. 1t is still impossible to say
! definitely how numerous are the victims
| GEN. BADEN-POWELL TO RETURN