Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-04-10
EXPLOSION ON STEAMSHIP
One Man Killed and Several Others
Injured at the WharVeS Of the
Harlan & HOllingSWOrth Co.
VESSEL WASS0MEWHAT DAMAGED
The Accident Occurred Shortly
Before Noon.
AN OIL TANK CAUSED THE EXPLOSION

One man killed and five or more crippled
is the record OF an explosion in an oil tank
on the French bnrk Alice ct Isabel at the
wharves of the Harlan u Holngsworth Co.
about noon Thursday. The vessel is an oil
steamer and went to Harlan's sometime ago
for repairs. Preparations were being made
to clean out one of the oil tanks, when
an explosion occurred which carried death
with it. The patrol wagon and Phoenix
ambulance were hurried to the scene and
everything possible was done to relieve the
condition OF the injured.
The list OF dead and injured is as follows
DEAD.
John Kompeski, Pole, of No. 4Oe West
Front street, head crushed by heavy object
about 40 years old and married.
INJURED.
Cornelius Monaghan of Hockessin, cut
about head.
George Penn, right arm and side hurt
William Wagner, shipcaulker. of 2l2 East
Liberty street, head and hand burned some
what.
James Slemons, ship carpenter, hand and
face scorched; sent in cab to his home.
Frank Painter of 11l3 West Third street,
slightly burned.
Messrs. Monaghan and Wagner were the
most seriously injured. They were taken to
the homeopathic Hospital in the Phoenix
ambulance. Ali of the Others we're able to
continue at work or go to their homes.
ONE THROWN OVERHEARD.
man named Jones was thrown overheard
by the explosion, but was not hurt.
STORY OF THE ACCIDENT.
The bark halls from Stables de O'Lonne,
| is q tanker with eight apartments for oil,
and had been at the wharves a week or so,
-Four of her tanks had been cleaned, and n
I ut Il. -
franklin Starr were about to begin on the
| first of the four remaining tanks.
few minutes before the explosion, Mr.,
Starr entered the tank to see if it was til for
the men to enter, but he found that it Wis
heavy with gas. Two minutes had scarcely
elapsed from the time he left the tank until
the explosion occurred
The explosion followed the throwing of
| some cold water into the tank, so that il is
| supposed the water made such Il combina.
| ton with the gases there us to cause the
| bursting forth. There was no warning of
| the impending crash.
The tank. OH which the work was being
done was about amidships and the force OF
| the explosion threw the hatch covers high
in the air, even as high as the main top
mast, about 40 feet above the deck. A large
| iron box several feet square was blown from
the deck to the height of the cross trees.
| Riyets were torn from the woodwork.
hompeski was on deck at the time. One
| OF the objects that had been blown into the
| air struck him in its descent, knocked hin,
| down and crushed his skull, causing instant
| death. His wife was on the scene soon after
his death and was Frustrated in her grief.
| Coroner's Assistant James I. Chandler
| viewed the body and an inquest will be held
| later.
Most of the injured men were close to the
tank and were injured by the flames which
shot from it.
DR.. George R. Carmichael dressed their
| wounds before they left the yard.
Following the explosion the tank caught
| tire and the Fame and Weccacoe fire com
panies were called to the shipyard. II was
feared that there might be a further explo-
| sion and hence great care was taken. The
Fame company turned hose into the tank
and tied the nozzle, and then left the vessel.
A short time later, the captain, together
with Matser Shipwright William Hartman
| and Master Rigger Joseph Smith made an
examination of the vessel. The tank was
| rolled as if fluted. Black smoke continued
to come from the vessel even until after 3
O'Clock.
report that compressed air might have
caused the explosion by mixing with the gas
in the tank is denied by the Harlan &
Hollingsworth CO. A representative of the
company said that the exact cause of the ex
plosion was not known. The accident caused
much excitement about the shipyard and
the works of the concern. Sergeant Lyons
was in charge of a squad of police which
rendered help at the works.