Milford chronicle., 1902-05-16
ENVELOPED IN FLAMES
ExplOsiOnOf Naphtha Cars Brought
Death to 0nloOkers.
"a ARE DEAD AND 200 INJURED
While Crowds Of People Were Watch.
Ing Fire, Car Exploded, and Those
Nearest Were KlIled-sewers Filled
NM nnnni.u al

While Crowds Of People Were Watch.
Ing Fire, Car Exploded, and Those
Nearest Were KiIled-Sewers Filled
With Burning Oil.
Pittsburg, May Is. - The Sheraden
yards of the Pan Handle railroad was
the scene last evening of one Of the
most disastrous explosions and fires
known in this section for many years.
Twenty-four lives were lost and about
two hundred persons we're so badly
burned that, according to the judg-
ment of physicians in attendance, IS
per cent. of them will die from the
effects of their injuries.
The cause of the catastrophe was the
explosion of a train of naphtha cars
which were being switched at the yard,
and in the switching the rear car teIe-
scoped a car forward. The leaking
naphtha ignited from a switch light,
causing an explosion which threw the
flames fifty feet high. Much of the es-
Gaping naphtha ran through Corks Run
to Esplen borough, a distance of one
and one-half miles, and caused another
explosion, blowing to atoms the Sey-
.mOur hotel and the Collins house, on
River road, and badly wrecking a
frame building nearby. in which were
congregated two hundred or more
sports from Pittsburg and vicinity, bet
ting on the races, base ball, etc. Few
Of the occupants of this building es-
capped injury, many being badly hurt.
| Mrs Seymour and her daughter, of the
/ Sheraden hotel, were seriously, and it
! 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
car exploded about o'clock, but it was
6.15 o'clock when three more cars OF
the deadly stuff went up with a roar
that could be heard for miles, that the
work of destruction really began.
A torrent Of flame belched forth on
each side of the track, sweeping back
the terrified spectators like charge
of artillery, and sending a shower Of
flame over their heads, resembling
Mont Pelee on a small scale. The
scene that followed beggars descrip
ton. The successive explosions haC
heated the air to such an extent tha
before the third explosion many were
rendered unconscious by the extreme
heat and the gaseous fumes and weru
being carried away when the torren
; of fame swept over the excited crowd
There was an awful hush for mo
ment, then followed a scene of frenzy
Men and women. their clothing ahlaze
, their faces sc0rched and blistered ant
their hair burned off their heads, raj
wildly shrieking. hither and thitheT
only intent on escape from that aw
. full furnace of fire. Some gave vent t,
I frenzied appeals to kill them and pu
them out Of their misery, and littl
children. with their curly locks an
J. light summer clothing small pillars O
e fire, cried piteuusly as they were SVEN
along by the tide of burning humanity
d The tOwnspeople did all in thei
! power for the stricken victims, and a.
S the Pittsburg ambulances were immt
/ diately despatched to the scene, wit
G a corps of physicians Many of thos
b not seriously burned were removed t
their homes in Sheraden. while Other
were sent to the various Pittshurg hos
$ pitfalls, and the dead removed to III
deTtaking establishments in Sherade
and vicinity and to the Pittsbul
l. morgue.