Evening journal., 1903-03-10
TWENTY TWO
KILLED IN
EXPLOSION
Crowds of People EEnveloped
in Blazing Oil While
Looking at Fire
SCENE AWFUL BEYOND DESCRIPTION
Men and Boys Ran Screaming With
Their Clothing a Mass of Flames
While Others Fell Where They
Stood, Overcome by Intense Heat.

While Others Fell Where They
Stood, Overcome by Intense Heat.
olean, N. Y. March 1O.-A score or
more people were killed and a larger
number were injured by an explosion
of oil near here last night. A freight
train on the Erie. made up principally
of tank cars filled with oil, broke in
two near this city at about o'clock.
The two sections came together with
a crash and one OF the oil tanks was
demolished. Fire broke out almost in
stantly and the sky was lighted up
for miles. A large crowd of people
left this city for the scene Of the
fire.
While they we're lined up along the
tracks a terrific explosion occurred.
The flames communicated quickly
with the other tanks, and a second
and a third explosion followed each
other in rapid succession. Sheets of
flame shot out In all directions. Scores
Of people were caught within the zone
Of the fire and envelOped in the flames.
Men and boys ran screaming down
the tracks with their clothing a mass
1f flames. Others fell where they
stood, overcome by the awful heat.
Iust how many were killed is not
known, as many of the bodies were
ncinerated.
Sydney Fish, a prominent business
nan, returned from the scene of the
ire at midnight. He said Il was at
racted to the scene of the fire be-
5ween $50 and 10 O'Clock. When
as within quarter of a mile of the
5reclxed train there was a terrific ex-
losIon. Flames shot outwards and up
Iards for great distance. / saw
eyeral persons who started to run
way drop on the railroad tracks, and
ley never moved again. Others, who
ad been standing close to the wreck
ge, were hurled through the air for
undreds Of feet. The scene was awful
alf dozen young boys ran down the
acks with their clothing on fire. They
ssembled human torches. could
ear their agonized screams distinctly
ON where l stood. They ran some
stance down the track and then
rev themselves to the ground, grow
ling in the bitches in their frantic
forts to extinguish the flames. Then
ey lay still, some of them uncon-
ious, others dead ] don't know how
any were killed. but I counted 20
ldies before l came away"
Word was sent at once to Olean
lice headquarters by telephone.
yery doctor and ambulance In the
" was summoned. Grocery wagons
ID carriages of all kinds were press
into service and everything possi-
was done to bring the injured
thout delay to the hospitals for
eatment
AT midnight the first of the injured
rived at the hospital. They were
II young boys. Their injuries were
ghtful. Great patches of flesh were
rned off and hung in shreds from
sir bodies. Large crowds gathered
the hospital and the faces of the
ured were anxiously scanned as
~ were borne into the building on
etchers. Heartrending scenes were
messed when one of the poor, blis-
ed bodies was recognized by a
her OF a mother or a brother, and
was with difficulty that persons
re restrained from invading the op-
ting room.
twenty-five bodies have been taken
N the wreckage 1t will be diff
to ascertain the names of the
d, as most of their bodies were
ned to ashes in the intense heat