New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-12
EXPLOSION HURTS 80.
FOURTEEN FIREMEN VICTIMS
IN AN VENUE C. CELLAR.
CHIEF GUERIN NOT so LUCKY AS AT
BRIDGE FIRE-AGED WOMAN DIES
FROM FALL AND SHOCK


Of the seven story double tenement house No.
121 Avenue at 4 p. m. yesterday wrecked
store on the ground floor and injured thirty
nine persons. including fourteen fremen and one
policeman This is the list of those injured:
s! tGg & B.5 s%5. soSk s r5 and ds5 SSpaHy 1T No
scalp Wound: S'Cs Gouverneur 1T SS' HOSPITAL spit
pany No H. 0ssRn cg on ' fce rt:nei ] d"a On duy
cut On see attended, 3sS al no S Ct No. III Avenue
f4act5Te Of right arm three scalp BeiIa7us
CAMPBELL Joseph. fireman. Hook. and Ladder Com
2any No H. face cut attended and remained on
COHEN, Jacob. address on face; attend
DARRow. John A. ,hrty-sx wears old. patroIm7an e
about ht2n heal ana body o'i New york Hospital
DEiT'N andre hFsmag Hook 3 and Ladder g9mpany
i: lace ana hands cut. attended and remained On
-r-.,N Thomas fireman Engine company Is; scalp
wound; attended ANA home
EDWARDS. George. No. ~ Prnces'., scalp wound;
IL :ss s sas Rea HsGh sG ne and add d6 as S''''
enth- 81: threa scalp wounds
3 sa45 %e ali f BE a s h Ts PaaG@ ean s6a e
wound St Francis's Hospital
HAEFz sa"p 6irs f~ea5yS chest 6d Esfs 6 a 40 East
HENRY Louis fourteen years old. No. e1a East Thir-
teenth-st scalp wound
FINES. John boy. address known. scalp wound
FIoFF,iAX Louis @ sixteen years old Nc 224 second
H 5,. Aaega SBis. g'gs gs1 yssEs ss5 %shra 2 Great Windsor
iS'aSS ABOUT nss facs and 35n head asL'7 " 80 "
KELLY John fireman. Hook and Ladder Company II:
LUFr Alexander, No. 121 Avenue C; scalp wound.
] G I95p 6 hear en ana 2 59s S2%p?Py 5.pa ia
NcIOUGHLIN, John, No 212 second-st-; scalp wound
| NEVER David. address rot known: cut on face. a.
MILLER John ten years cd. No. e2o East Ninth-s;:
possible fracture of SKULL New-York Hospital
oFaS 5sS cu5 a:a1s5 s5 s6a 95 S6 Battalion CHIEF ''''
99 CUT, Te s53.aa aad smsn.s a S oa 49 9s No
P Ssrs As9 Sd wdaH9 5sHS9 ss sssas old H2p e S IS
POTTER Leland fireman. Hook and Ladder Company IL.
RoAcHE. Harry. No 54i F1udson-st. scalp wound
a2sBas g s6S is rom Rnf5T55 fsiBS doTns5a Ss1a 2 "
| SANDERS. Max. 800 East stxth-st. scalp wound
f1 and {si bs6 c aTaa Tnsd sPs On du5 29pany No.
| sTEFFEI. Isaac Of No. es Avenue c. scalp wound.
.aS &aG6 12ssBh ON 5Sis sc years DID, of No ' S''
WOLFF, Isaac, address known slight cut
Sc scalp -7'a'i wouad 49,
The explosion followed a slight fire which had
been started accidentally b9 a plumber. who
was working in the cellar repairing gas en-
! gine used for pumping water to the roof Of the
building. When the fire started the plumber ran
| out OF the cellar. Alexander Luft. proprietor OF
a cigar store on the ground floor, heard the
| plumbers cry Of Fire. and turned in an alarm
\ from the frebox the corner. The fire.
/ triiine affair was soon put out. A crowd gath
/ cred in front Of the building and watched the
/ fremen at work
| The heat melted the lead connection between
/ the street main and the gas meter. and the cell
| lar was soon charged with gas. The OF
| Engine Company No -, led by Lieutenant
| Boyle and the men of Hook and Ladder Com
pany No. H. in charge of Captain Joseph Besh-
| niger. went dowE the steps leading from the
sidewalk to the cellar. With them was Chief
| William Guerin. of the Fourth Battalion and his
driver Patrick Moran. The fremen attempted
to find the break in the main. that it could
be stopped up.
FLASH AND A LOUD REPORT
They had scarcely entered the cellar when
| there was a flash and loud report The fire
men were blown off their feet and the entire
front of the cigar store overhead, was blown
into the street. some Of the debris striking the
| building on the other side of the street. People
| who were In front of the building we're knocked
down by the flying glass and splintered wood.
The tenement house was shaken. and many OF
| the windows were broken There was a panic
| I'm the crowd. Those who had escaped injury
fed for safety leaving the less fortunate ones
| bleeding the pavement
| Ffremen and police at went TO the as
/ sistance Of the wounded The dremen who had
| been in the cellar. and nearly all of whom were
injured staggered to the street News of the
| disaster was teIephoned to Police Headquarters,
and ten ambulanCes-four from Bellevue. two
| from New-York two from ST. VincentS and two
from GOuverneur HOSpital-weTe hurried to the
scene The occupants Of the house, terror strtck-
en-. rushed into the street.
Mrs. Moses BertlOn was assisting her mother.
Mrs Rachel Rosenberg, ninety-roUr years old.
down the stairs, when the old woman fell, and
was so severely shocked that she died few
hours later.
The neighboring drugstores soon flied
with the injured persons. Detective Thomas j.
Mccartney. Of the Union Market station. and
Patrolman Alexander Cohen, OF inspector Clay
TONS staff, gave prompt aid 20 the injured. and
assisted many of them TO the ambulances where
their wounds were dressed Reserves were sum
back the excited crowd In the throng were
many mothers who thought that their children
had been injured
GUERIN TAKEN To THE HOSPITAL.
Battalion Chief Guerin was one Of the noss
severely injured. His face was scorched and he
had a number Of scalp wounds He and his
driver taken to st. Francfss Hospital
The chief remained at the hospital but his
driver was able to go home after his injuries
were dressed
Fireman McGOugh was so severely hurt that
he was hurried TO Bellevue
Chief Guerin had had a narrow eScape from
death at the burning Of the East River Bridge
the previous night, when he was struck by a
falling hrebrand that almost hurled him from
the narrow ledge on which he was standing $50
feet above the ground
The damage caused by the explosion is eSti-
mated at $1,000. Boxes of cigars and cigarettes
and packs Of playing cards We're scattered all
over the street So great was the cOncussion
that the large plateglaSS window in the butcher
shop OF Max Altman, at No. 1.s3 AVenua on