The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-13
Explosion Of Naph,ha While
Cars Were Being Switched.
The Number Burned Approaches zoo
and Physicians Say That Nearly
All Will Die.

live in all parts OF Allegheny county and
| their names cannot be secured.
! Unknown boy about IA years old. died
on way To hospital
- Finerty, aged 40 years, Sisters
| vile. w. Va, died at hospital
Charles Hertig, Chestnut Mines, died
! at hospital
w. E. Wright. 2s years. a carpenter,
| Of Sheraden, died at hospital.
Unknown white man, about 40 years
| old.
- Douds. died at Mercy hospital
SCENE OF ACCIDENT.
The accident happened in the railroad
! yards at Sheraden, where the Panhandle
railroad makes turn near Corks Run.
! Banked In by two high hills hundreds OF
! people were caught. At this point,
| which Is about one fourth OF n mile from
| the city line. there are 80 tracks. Upon
| these tracks there were several hundred
, cars. About the middle OF these tracks
about 4;45 O'Clock a heavy freight train
was being made up for the West. In
this train were 10 tank cars containing
refined petroleum and naphtha. In the
shifting necessary 10 prepare the train
for It's journey switch was made with
too much force. Five tank cars. two OF
them filed with refined petroleum and
two with naphtha. were switched. and
Instantly the innammable by-product
poured out In stream The trainmen.
seeing that one of the cars was dam
aged, started TO pull them all out OF the
way.
Already the man in charge OF the
switch lights had made his rounds, and
the lights were burning. As the tank
car passed over one of the lights. the
dripping naphtha caught on the little
flame and almost instantly the explosion
followed. Two brakemen were on the
car. One OF them jumped and escaped
injury; the other. Clyde Fare, OF shera-
den. was seriously injured. He was
taken TO the hospital.
The first explosion sent showers of
burning naphtha over the freight sta
tion near at hand aud also enveloped a
number OF carloads of coke and lum-
all was blazing Knowing that there was
iminent danger of another explosion
there was no attempt TO save the freight
station the cars for the time, and
all sought safety In flight This fact
saved many lives, for at 5 o'clock Is
minutes after the first explosion, the two
cars of refined petroleum that had been
damaged by the bursting of the tank of
naphtha and were leaking. blew up with
a terrific report. No one was injured by
this. however
The noise of the two explosions. the
the flames told the people OF Sheraden
that something unusuaal was going on
In their usually peaceful valley. and they
crowded down the streets OF the borough
10 watch the scene. School had been
dismissed for some time and troops OF
children ran from their play to see the
fire.
The yards at sheraden lie in narrow
valley. the hills on each side running up
from the tracks On the south side OF the
yards, cut out OF the hillside Is a road
on which are the tracks OF the Sheraden
branch of the Pittsburg Railroad.
Above these tracks Is a rounded hill
bare Of trees. Across the cut on the
other side OF the yards a hill fully 200
teet high rises sheer above the round
house. so steep that the thick trees and
the score or more OF homes there seem to
cling to their hold with difficulty.
HEART OF THE FLAMES.
In less than Is minutes after the first
explosion both these hills were black with
men, women and children. who were
eagerly watching the flames in the cut
below, unconscious of the fact that two
anks filled with naphtha and with power
nough to bring death TO many and suf-
ering TO scores were lying In tho heart
Il the flames. Great clouds OF smoke
cose In masses from the burning debris
ilssed as they took hold OF the masses OF
oke that had been waiting for shipment
nd great tongues of flame leaped from
he burning skeleton of the freight sta
.on.
Suddenly n third explosion was heard,
iuffled this time as though from dis
tnce. and eventually coming from the
louth or the valley on the Ohio river
ictween the time when the first tank OF
aphtha was damaged in switching and
! sprung a leak, and the moment when II
exploded enough OF tho dangerous liauld
had escaped TO work its way into the
sewer that cmpties into the Ohio near
the mouth OF Cork's Run. Burning oil.
too. found It's way into the sewer. and as
soon as II reached tho open air at the
mouth an explosion followed
This third explosion, separated as IL
| was by a mile &som the scene of the
| bruning cars at Sheraden, served as n
warning to but few Of the spectators
| there.
Without a moments warning there
| was an awful roar loud enough to be
| heard In the heart Of Pittsburg. 1--WE miles
away and sheet OF solid flame shot up
| from the wreckage and enveloped both
| hillsides even TO their tops.
There was moments luil. az though
every living thing In the vicinity had
| been annihilated, and then followed tho
| cries. the screaming for help and the
/ blanks In the crowd that told OF the
explosions dread results. Both OF the
two remaining tank cars had blown up.
! Aid was sent 90 the suffering communi-
| ties from both PlttsburR and Allegheny
Surgeons hurried 10 the scene OF the
catastrophe and worked hard for hours
20 aid the injured and allevlate suffering
but u was after midnight before all OF
those who were injured had been given
, attention.