Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1902-05-21
KILLED IN OIL EXPLOSION
Spectators OF Fire Near Pittsburg
Are Overwhelmed.
CAUSED BY A RAILROAD WRECK
Scenes OF Horror, Where Many Died. and
Suffering, Maddencd Mon Trod Down
:. the Weak-Houses Wrecked by Gas
Main IgnitinE-Shect of Flamo Do
seconded on Hundreds of Onlookers.

Main IgnitinE-Shect of Flamc Do
scended on Hundreds of Onloolsers.
Pittsburg, Pa.-Four distinct eXplo-
sions have wrought ruin in the Char
tiers Valley. 1t was estimated twenty
five persons We're dead and between
100 and 80 We're burned, many of
whom would die. The first explosion
occurred in the Sheriden yards OF the
Pan Handle Railroad, about five miles
from the Union Station in this city
Switchmen were shifting train OF
cars, 10 which We're attached two cars
OF refined oil and one OF naphtha
The Pan Handle Railroad Company
has thirty-siX tracks through Sheriden
and has succeeded in keeping communi-
cation open. The property loss will
amount 10 at least 100000.
( As the cars We're pushed along the
track the oil cars came together with
a crash, smashing the couplings and
ibreaking II switch light. The oil tank
was Jared, and oil flowed down on the
light. 1t ignited and made trail to
the tank. a flame shot into the air.
and before the trainmen knew what
had happened an explosion occurred,
and in fash the burning oil spurted
into the air.
This occurred about 4.45 p. III. An
alarm was sent to Sheridenville and
Mckee's Rocks, and the local fire de-
parsment responded. No water could
be had, and the heat was so intense
no one could get near enough to couple
an engine to the other two cars and
haul them away.
About 5.15 the second car Of refined
Oil exploded, and by this time fully
1000 persons had gathered on the hill
sides. The Pan Handle tracks lie IN
valley thanked by steep hills on each
side. No one thought of any danger.
The heat from the burning cars gen
Grated gas in the naphtha tank near
by. 1t had gas dome. Shortly after
o'clock the naphthd tank exploded.
Tho dome shot into the air and fell on
Ine |illside amid the jam of spectators
Ihe dank split in twain, and the naph-
tha. like fiery serpents, shot into all
ulrecuons. spraying the thousands OF
people, among whom Were laborer
women. children, and railroaders.
Immediately there was a rush fo,,
safety. Hundreds who were sproyed
by burning oil tore their clothes OF
their bodies. Women and children
screamed and men swore and ran
hlther and thither like wild men. Peo-
PIE set fire to each other. Some crawled
lnto the dirt. others ran and famed the
hames with the wind. Dozens of
naked men beat their bodies among the
pushes seeking to relieve the pain
while others sand exhausted. never Co
rise again.
The heat from the burning f,uid
which had spread over the valley sen.
arated the parties occupying each hill
sluc- n similar scene was being en-
acted on both hillsIdes. while down the
valley none came out alive.
The burning oil trickled into q small
ditch known as Cork's Run. II footed
past the village of Esplen and into the
ONO kiver At che edge o. EsDlen and
the fittsburg city limits n grouD OF
houses are situated along the hillside
ana on the level. A natural gas main
occupies n ditch. There was a leak in
the gas main.
AS the burning oil reached it. the
gas main exploded, wreckinc ali tho
houses in the group and killing several
people, manning about twenty more.
one building contained n large Dool-
room, where were congregated n dozen
men, and all were killed or injured
Ihus. at two distinft places. more
fhan two miles apart, lives were lost
and help was needed. BY this time the
railroad company had organized relief
crews among their Pittsburg yard men
Every physician in the city was tele-
phoned to lend his aid. Special trains
were made up to take the doctors down
an groups. Ambulances were nut
aboard fiatcars and rushed down. Ey.
cry hospital was ordered to get rea6v
for an overflow, and rescue work was
soon under way on a large scale.