Connecticut western news., 1902-05-15
FLAMES DEAL DEATH TERRIBLE ACCIDENT IN PlTTSeuR6
 RAILROAD YARDS.

Explosion of Cars of Naphtha kn-
 Hundreds, Many of Whom wIIl
 Die.
 The Sheridan yards of the Panhandi, railroad near pittsburg were the scene on Monday evening of one of the most disastrous explosions and fire known in that section for many years Twenty three lives were lost and about POO persons were so badly burned that according to the judgment of physl. clans in attendance, T5 per cent of them will die from the effects of their injuries. The property loss Is at least $6O0,Oo0
 The cause of the catastrophe was the explosion of Il train of naphtha cars which were being switched at the yards, and in the switching the rear car telescoped car forward. The leak ing naphtha ignited from switch light causing an explosion which threw the flames fifty feet high. Much of the escaping naphtha ran through Cork's run to Esplen borough, a dis tance of one and half miles. and caused another explosion, blowing to atoms the Seymour hotel and the Col lins House, on River road, and badly wrecking a frame building near by in which were congregated POO or moro sports from Pittsburg and vicinity bet ting on the races. baseball. etc. Few of the occupants of this building escaped injury, many being badly hurt. Mrs Seymour and her daughter of the Sher aden hotel were seriously and, 1t is feared. fatally injured.
 The first car of naphtha exploded about 4:40 o'clock, and the spectacle soon attracted large crowd on streets lining the hills on both sides of and parallel to the railroad. The second cal exploded about o'clock, but it was 6:15 when three more cars of the dead ly stuff went up th a roar that could be heard for miles that the work of de struction really began.
 A torrent of flame belched forth or either side of the track, sweeping back the terrified spectators like a charg, of artillery and sending a shower oi flame over their heads resembling Mont Pelee on small scale.
 The scene that followed beggars de scription. The successive explosions had heated the air to such an exten that before the third explosion man, were rendered unconscious by the eX treme heat and the gaseous fumes anC were being carried away when the tor rent of flame swept over the excited crowd.
 There was an awful hush for a mo ment; then followed a scene of frenzy Men and women, their clothing ablaze their faces scorched and blistered ant their hair burning of their heads, raI wildly shrieking hither and thither on ly intent on escape from that awfu furnace of fire. Some gave vent tC frenzied appeals to kill them and pu them out of their misery, and llttl, children, with their curly locks ant light summer clothing small pillars oi fire, cried piteously as they were swep along by the tide of burning humanity.
 The townspeople did all in their pow CT for the stricken victims, and all tn, Pittsburg ambulances were immediate ly dispatched to the scene, with a corp, of physicians. Many of those not seri ously burned were removed tc theil homes in Sheraden, while others wer, sent to the various Pittsburg hospItali and the dead removed to undertaking establishments in Sheraden and vicln ity and to the Pittsburg morgue,