West Virginia daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1894-1902, 1902-05-13

Wllildn OllupSOu, HCSCHldl, Ol NO.
10 engine company, Pittsburs,
Patrick Gallagher, hoseman, of No.
10 engine company, Pittsburg.
Louis Amend, hoseman, of No. 10
engine company, Pittsburg.
William Die bold, hoseman, of No.
10 engine company, Pittsburg.
Harry Mooney, hoseman, of No. 10
engine company, Pittsburg.
Matthew Moreland, 25 years old,
McKees Rocks.
The accident happened in the Sher-
aden yards.
How the Disaster Occurred.
A freight train was being made up
for the west. On it were ten cars
of oil and refined naphtha. During
the switching some of the cars were
bumped too hard. One of the naph-
tina tanks burst and ran out on the
ground.
One of the switch lights set fire to
it. An explosion followed. Brake.
man Glide Fare was injured.
The first explosion sent showers of
burning naphtha over the freight sta
ton, near at hand, and also enveloped
a number Of carloads of coke and lum-
Der that were close by, and in a mo-
ment all were blazing. Knowing that
there was imminent danger of an.
Lther explosion there was not at
tempt to save the freight station or
the cars, for the time, and all sought
safety in flight. This fact saved many
lives, for at 5 O'Clock, Is minutes af-
ter 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.
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 Railway company.
Above these tracks is a rounded hill
bare of trees. Across the cut, on the
other side of the yards, a hill full 200
| feet high, rises sheer above the round
| house.
Many persons. among them lot
of children returning from school,
gathered on these hills to watc h the
| fire. Suddenly third explosion oc.
| Cured about mile away.
Between the time when the first
tank Of Eaphtha was damaged in
switching and sprung leak, and the
moment when 1t exploded, enough of
the dangerous liquid had escaped to
work it's way into the sewer tina,
empties into. the Ohio near the mouth
Of Corks run. Burning oil, too, found
it's way into the sewer, and as soor
as it reached the open air at the
mouth an explosion followed.
Awful Damage a tEspIen.
The force of the explosion blew IL
| one side of Seymour's hotel, on th'
hillside above the bridge, where fiv'
| people were injured. Al of the win
dows in the neighborhood were
broken by the conclusion, and nine
other persons were injured by falling
glass. The traction bridge across thu
run at this point was almost entirel.
demolished and car that had passed
but moment before was all blu
dashed to pieces.
More people came in on the car
from Pittsburg and were added to tn
number of spectators. Railroader
were at work, railroad officials wer
near, also newspaper men and 10Th
ers.
c. ~ kxrrf 1lo4 Ia
tanks in the center of the train ex
ploded.
There was an awful roar, lout
enough to be heard in the heart o
!. Pittsburg, five miles away, and
sheet of solid flame shot up from tn
wreckage and enveloped both hi.
sides even to their tops.
l Pandemonian Broke Loose.
There was a moments lull a
though every living thing in the "
cinity had been annihilated, and the
the cries, the screaming for help all
the blanks in the crowd that told o
the explosions dread results.
On the hillside to the north of tn
yo4 I'D SGNCl al AOQSSS MGI6 uluS
the trees were anre, the scant vegt
tation was blackened and eaten away
and masses OF the burning LIQUID fro1
the TANKS below could be seen her
and there where they had fallen
On the tracks themselves was
fleeing crowd of men. dazed by tn
snCck of the explosion, hurrying t
escape from the 0eluge of fire tia
had threatened to overwhelm then
But these Were safe.
The charred bundles of clothing, a
most shapeless, that lay where deaf
or worse ina n death had caugt
them, Were past all help save wner
some movement or a pie. eng cry tol
that life was still lett in the blackel
ed form.