The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-11
4 DEATHS IN CLEANS FIRE.
sIXTEEN PERSONS BURNED ny
THE EXPLOSION.

Wreck OF Three Nsphtha Cars. Followed
BY Fire. Attracted q (Sowd-A second
Explosion Came. killing Many Persons
Outrsght-lnJured Roll Int water.
OLsAs, N. Y, March io.-The oil explo-
don here last night, which closely parallels
in It's results the disaster at OIL CITY AND
Titusville few years ago. has made oisan
a city Of mourning. Fourteen arc dad
and sixteen other persons arc seriously
burned.
An extra westbound freight on the Erie
road last night broke In two between Hins-
dale and Olean and the train was wrecked
on the Olean Creek bridge, few hundred
Yards north Of the Olean station. Three OF
the cars, filed with naphtha, were rolled
down the embankmcnt and an explosion
followed. The shock was felt all over the
city. A binding fash Of light followed
the explosion. and the flames Jared up with
the binding briliancy Of an electric light.
A fire alarm was given and q large crowd
Of people, attracted by the briliancy OF the
blaze, troopcd down the track and were
soon grouped on the railroad embankmcnt
near the fire.
There were those In the crowd who knew
the danger Of these naphtha dres and who
sought TO warn others. but their warnings
were UNDECIDED. The crowd pressed closer
and closer to the burning tanks, and at
about midnight there was second explosion.
which hurled q sheet OF dazzling flame In
the air and Jared tho country like an earth
quake shock for miles around. Those
nearest the fire were instantly struck down.
They were blinded and burned. Some were
l. ~ xlx~t. AS<aI xxytth laA
blazing oil.
Those who withstood the first shock
crawled away and rolled down the railroad
embankment into the flooded field below.
It was q scene which shocked the sight
seen. Bodies lying within the fire zone
were burned to q crisp. Others. who had
crawled away and still retained their senses.
begged the bystanders TO kill them and end
their sufferings. while still others splashed
in the water and did their best to quench
the flames.
The second explosion and the news that
several had been killed brought Q large
crowd 10 the scene. There was one unex-
ploded tank. and none was permitted to
pass a certain point. because OF fear Of an
other and sill worse catastrophe. II was.
therefore. Q O'Clock In the morning before
the rescue Of ths bodies began, Gres;
di6iculty was experienced in Identifying
he dead, and Il was not until this even
ing that the last Of the fourteen bodies
was Identified Coat buttons. scsrfpins.
watches. rinss and other jcwelry In most
oases were the means of Identification
The bodies have been laid out In two Of
the morgue. Of the city. and arrangements
for the funerals will be made later. The
injured have been laken 10 their various
homs- and ell vil probably recover.
Ths fire burssd oil day In one u the TANKS.
and this sftsrnoon young man with q riAs
spsnt an hour psrforst.ng the Iron shss,h-
ING With bulls's 10 prevent further 81.
ploslons
The explo-lon thai caused abs dl~AstsS
hlsv the bead ~ the h,lSe tank dlfcctly
In ths fsos< ~ the crowd nth the fore III 3
cannon nsli sad ell ~ho Stood la hs oath.
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