The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-10
TERRIFIC lC EX'PLOS 4
FOLLO :, OWED 5BY'A SECOND
Scores Of People Were Caught BY the
Sheets Of Flame That Shot Out
in All Directions = Men and
Boys Ran from the Scene
Screaming With 7 heir &
Clothes Ablaze. '#$$ $s
nv ( asor,,nted Press i

NJ - Il
C)LEAN, n 81 Y. March IA score OF,
people we're killed and q larger number
we're injured by an explosion OF oil near ar
here a freight train on the Erie, made
up principally OF tanks filled with oil.
broke In two near here, then carne9to-
FEttiler. and The tanks Of oil were de-
8r,olshed. The oil isnited almost Instant.
Sly. A large crowd was attracted to the,
scene OF the HIRE. While they were lined
sup along the tracks "a terrific explosion on
occurred. The flames communicated With
the other tanks, Ind a second terrific fex-
fpl6slon followed In rapid succ ession. ION
sheets OF flames shot out III Ell y direc-l
lions Scores OF people were caugh with
In the zone OF fire and enveloped In
flames Men and boys ran screaming
down tho trucks with THAR clothing a
mass OF flames. Others fell where they
stood overcome by lawful hea t
Jnst how many were killed Is not known,
"a IS ma n " of thc bodies were lncinerat ted. .s
533lCsRAPII1CsACC G QuNT +. III fs
sy dneysF Sill. n pr romihent b,istrtess mai
returned from the scene ofi the fire at
midnight. @ He said 8 $js8A
IL was attracted to 4 the scene OF the
ffire between a:3o and 10 Q clock. When
i was within a quarter OF a mile Of the
wrecked astrain there was a terrific ex-.
plosion. Flames shot upwards and out
wards for a great distance, saw several
persons who started to run away d rop on
the railway tracks. and they never moved
again Others who had been standing:
close to the wreckage were hurled through.
tho air for hundreds OF feet. The scene,
was awful. $j "a }ss
a dozen young boys ran down the.
tracks with their clothing on fire. n
sembling human torches could hear
where#I stood. Thev ran some distance
down the track ape then threw them
selves to the ground, Eroyelllng In the;
bitches III their frantic efforts to ex-8
stinguish the flames. Then they lay. still
some OF them unccnscious. others dead
4 ES counted twenty bodies before ] ca mo
away
z Word was sent at once to olean police.
headquarters by telephone. Every doc Y
tor and ambulance in tho city were
pressed into service. Grocery wagons and
carriages OF all kinds were also pressed
into service and were used In bringing
the dead and injured to the hospitals
At midnight the first Of the injured arr
rived at the hospital. There were four
young boys. Their Injuries We're fright
full. Great patches of flesh were burned
off and hung In shreds from their bodies
DISTRESSING SCENES.
ut will ho diff1cult to ascertain the
names OF a great many OF the dead to-
night as their bodies were burned to-
ashes In the intense heat. A canvass Is
being made OF the city as rapidly as
possible to find out the names Of the
missing. There is great excitement IN
the city, and the streets are thronged
with people. gg II 3. 5} i'
Large crowds gathered at the hosptal.s
and the faces OF the injured were arxi ous Il
I ly scanned rs they were borne into the
building on stretchers, Heart-rending