The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-11
Over a Score Die Under
Whirling Torrents
of Fire.
A TRAIN BROKEN IN TWO
As the Cars Come Samming Together, One tf
The Tanks is Broken and There Follow
Series Of Stunning
Exclusions.
EXCLUSIONS.
(By the Associated Press.l

CLEAN, N. Y. MARCH. "a RE-
PORT FROM THE SCENE OF THE
ACCIDENT AT 1 O'CLOCK THIS
MORNING (TUESDAY) SAYS % BOD
les HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM THE
wRECKAGE. SOME OF THEM ARE
BURNED BEYOND RECOGNITION,
ONLY THE TRUNKS AND SKULLS
REMAINING.
Olcan, N. Y, March "a score or more
people were killed and larger number
were injured by an explosion of oil near
here tonight A freight train on the
Erie Railroad made up principally of
tank cars filled with oil broke in two
near this city at about nine o'clock.
The two sections of the train came to-
gether with a crash and one of the oil
tanks was demolished. Fire broke out
almost instantly and the sky was lighted
up for miles. A large crowd of people
left this city for the scene Of the fire.
While they were lined up along the
tracks a terrific explosion occurred The
flames communicated quickly with the
other tank cars and a second and a third
explosion followed each other in rapid
succession. Sheets of flames shot out in
all directions. Scores of persons were
caught within the scene OF the fire and
enveloped in flames. Men and boys ran
screaming down the tracks, with their
clothing n mass of flames. Others fell
where they stood, overcome by the awful
heat Just how many were killed is not
known, as many of the bodies were in
cinerated
Sydney Fish, n prominent business man.
returned from the scene of the fire at
midnight He said:
II was attracted to the scene of the
fire between $50 and 10 o'clock. When
l was within a quarter OF mile of the
wrecked train there was a terrific ex-
plosion. Flames shot outwards and up
wards for a great distance. l saw sew
eral persons who started to run away
drop on the railroad tracks and they
never moved again. Others who had
been standing close to she wseckage
were hurled through the air for hundreds
of feet. The scene was awful. Half
dozen young boys ran down the tracks
with their clothing on fire, resembling
human torches. could hear their agon-
izing cries distinctly from where / stood.
They ran some distant down the track
and then throw themselve to the ground
grovelling in the bitches in their fran
tic efforts to extinguish the lames Then
they lay still, some of them unconscious,
others dead. don't know how many
were killed, but l counted twenty bodies
before | came away"
Of -
nel aqaCrters by telephone Every doc
tor and ambulance in the city was sum
moned.
Grocery wagons and carriages of all
kinds were pressed into service and
everything possible was done to bring
the injured without delay to the hospi-
tails for treatment.
AT midnight the first of the injured ar
rived at the hospital. There were four
young boys. Their injuries were fright
ful Great patches of flesh were burned
on and hung in shreds from their bodies.
1t will be difficult to ascertain the
nar.cs Of great many of the dead to-
hight as their bodies were burned to ashes
In the intense heat A canvass is being
maze OF the city as rapidly as possible
TO iind out the names of those missing
mere is great excitement in the city and
the streets arc thronged with people
Large crowds gathered at the hospital
and the faces of the injured are anxious
~ scanned as they were borne into the
building on stretchers. Heart-rending
scenes were witnessed when one of the
poor blistered bodies was recognized by
father or mother or brother, and it
was with difficulty that persons were re-
strained from invading the operating
room.