New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-30
SUBWAY STATION BLAZE.
MUST BURN ITSELF OUT.
Broadfcap Ertension Delayed By
Short Circuit Fire.


long delay IN the completion of the Broad
We, hrancl of the subway north of 167th-st.
,,.il probably result from an accident there yes
,er5ay morning. causing several explosions. and
aerce fire that ragged for hours The newly
coinpleted station 167th-st. partly
wrecked. ard the wooden structure supporting
the roof OF the tunnel for a long distance was
Destroyed The loss to the construction COM
Tany viii be large. Last night the fire was
still burning. and the 1remen were practically
powerless 20 quench it.
The explosions and fire caused great excite
n1ent in the neighborhood. Firemen and police
,fen could not get near the flames in the tun-
nel FOR = time it was supposed that there had
been loss cf life among the workmen. out later
II VAS learned that person had been injured.
Il was supposed at fret that an explosion of
dynalalte had been caused by the running OF an
empty train into car which some of the
dangerous material Later fl announced
thai there was dynamite in the tunnel at the
time Of the accident, and that the explosions
due either to short circuits to the
burning OF oil barrels In the tunnel
General Manager Hedley Of the Interborough
company gave explanation of the accident
George Fry a switchman. laying up
empty train, running ii to siding near 167th-
St and when he about two hundred feet
struck a pushcar which were several ItaI-
iaH woTkmen. The pushcar thrown from
The track in contact with the first car of the
Irain causing a short circuit on the third rail
era feed cable.
instantly there was a loud explosion. as
streams OF electric fire shot out from the cars.
Fry Jumped off the train. and the Italians rolled
off The pushcar without having been hurt by
the collision the resulting explosion. They
~ hg1lE head in ha got
through door in the bulkhead and carried the
alarIn about one hundred Italian workmen
who were on the north side of the bulkhead. All
escaped by the shaft at 1S1st-st
The short circuit caused by the collision set
fire 20 the timbers supporting the roof of the
tunnel where the accident occurred. These sup
porting rimbers continued all the way TO the
lulkhead and were soon on fire. Dense clouds
of smoke poured from the shaft leading 10 the
station at 161th-st When the flremen responded
n an alarm they could not get down the shaft
O. account Of the smoke
The station is near the entrance to the Aneri-
car League Baseball grounds. II is 120 feet
below the street surface. 1t was nearly fin
iseed before yesterdays accident occurred. Near
The station is a switch by which trains that
Gre emptied n the present terminal of the
broadway branch at 1J7th-st are shifted from
ile northboupd to the southbound tracks or run
+. \ storage siding. This operation is per
termed hy 4 sH-itchman and for that reason
inere were no passengers or trainmen the
irsin which Fry vas handling yesterday when
the accident occurred
The fre in the tunnel north of f61th-st. was
made worse hy the presence of several barrels
Of OF stored there. AS the flames reached these
barrels -here were repeated explosions. which
could be heard long distance in the tunnel.
and The burning oil added dangerous fumes to
The smoke
Three companies Of frenlen we're called TO
tn shaft At 161th-st.. but could not get near
The flames l2o feet below them. They lowered
3out lines Of hose with distributing nozzles down
TIE shaft. and turned the water, but there
not seeln to he the slightest effect in di-
1rinishine the volume Of smoke that rushed UP
lom below.
After the fire had been raging about an hour.
1iIenen Toltz and Ryan. Of Engine Company
so. - and Fireman Argue, of Hook and Lad
der Company No. 23. made an experiment that
Iiearly proved disastrous. They went to the sta
tioE at 1J1th-st- got on an empty train and
ian It up toward the fire. When they were near
J6Ith-st- the power was turned of, and the
flames. but the train was surrounded by smose
aud they were in danger OF being suffocated
J'hey got Off the train at The rear and began to
walk back 10 l1Itl-st Noltz was overcome by
ihe smoke after going few yard. and his
lsnioBs hal carry him the resi- of the wa.
He recovered soon after he was carried to the
snter air
About p ~. Superintendent Fleming. who
lad oversight of the tunnel construction in that
section for John B. Mcdonald, went down the
Fhsft at iSIst-st. With Detective Ahrens and Pa
1rolmau Fleming. of the West 132d-sf. police
station They found the tunnel north Of the
lukhead partly FUN Of smoke but they mar
aged 10 get to the bulknead and look al the fire
when they returned they said all the wood
work in the tunnel south of ire bulkhead, as
far the station Al 16Ith-st., seemed TO be
burning
The frennen nj 16Tth-st. said late I'm the after
noon that nothing could be done by them to ex-
finguish the flames md the fire would have
burn itself out. General Manager Hedley said
-fa-4 .r-f,ff he trr ling ha
assured that person had been injured, and
the empty train near the 16Gth-st. station was
rhuch injured by the fire. Superintendent
Fleming said il could not be told until the fire
was out how serious the loss was or how long
g delay I'm completing the Broadway branch
o. tee subway would be caused by the FIRE.