Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1905-09-16
TEN VICTIMS OF THE
HOLOCAUST IN AVON.
Explosion in the Climax House Companys Plant Brings
Sorrow to Many Homes in the Little Village ofAvon
Bodies Of Most Of the Dead Are Still Beneath the
Ruins of the Factory Which Burned TO the Ground.

avon, sept lo.-len persons are
dead as a result of the explosion and
lire which destroyed the plant of the
Climax Fuse Co yesterday afternoon
Nine have severe burns and it was
feared this morning that at least two
of these might not recover. The ruins
Of the stone building where the ex-
plosiOn occurred were still so hot to-
day as to make a search difficult and
dangerous, but the workers succeeded
i'll getting out one body early in the
day. 1t was charred, however, beyond
recognition. Six other bodies re-
mained in the ruins. During the night
two Of the injured, Charles pimock
and Miss Nora Ryan, both of whom
We're seriously burned, died at their
homes.
The complete list of dead and those
most seriously injured was reported
to-day as follows:
The dead:
William Burke, aged 40, married.
Mrs William Burke.
James Joyce, 30, married.
Robert Mccarthy, IS.
James Wallace, 30.
Charles DlmOck, 1S.
Miss Mollie Mccarthy, 15.
Miss Julia Sullivan, 18.
Mrs NJ. b. Tucker, 40.
Miss Nora Ryan, Is.
The injured:
Michael Garfield, arms badly burned
and internal injuries feared.
Michael Mccarthy, body severely
burned
Lyman Hull, painful body burns.
Charles LeGeyt, very seriously
burned, recovery doubtful.
Miss Nellie Garfield, arms and neck
burned
Mrs Norton Fish, severely bruised.
Arthur Tuller, burned about the
legs.
Earl Tuller, arms badly burned.
Hundreds of people, many of whom
had lost relative or friends by the
accident, crowded about the ruins to-
day, watching the slow progress of the
search work. 1t was considered unlike
ly, however, that it would be possible
to identify any of the B0dies as the
heat was sufficient apparently to in
cinerate them.
The explosion is generally believed
to have been due to contact of hot
iron with the fuse which was being
manufactured. At one point in the
process of manufacture the fuse is
drawn through hole In frame at
tached to reel. Such holes some
times become clogged by the tar with
which for purposes of safety the fuse
is coated. When this happens it has
been customary to clear the hole by
means of a red-hot iron. 1t is be-
lieved that James Joyce was attempt
ing to clear one of these holes yester-
day and that probably break in the
tar covering over the fuse led to the
explosion There was flash of flames
and the infiammable material nearby
took fire, filling the room instantly
with smoke. Most of the victims are
believed to have become confused in
the panic which followed and to have
died of suffocatlon,. unable to make
their escape.
DR. d. w. Kellogg of Hartford has
a summer house almost directly Oppo-
site the fuse factory and was on the
lawn of his residence when the ex-
plOsiOn occurred. He saw the shower
Of debris from the explosion and the
scramble of the people to escape from
the building. Il never saw a more
awful sight than this" he said after
ward. THE explosion was not heavy
and seemed to me like smOthered
blast, but as l looked toward the fac
tory sheets OF fire seemed to sweep
through the building and the smoke
arose in clouds. Then there was a
mad rush OF men and women, nearly
all with hands uplifted and shrieklng
horribly Some jumped from the win
dows and some were trampled under
foot As soon as possible | attended
to the injuries OF ten or dozen, APP
plying soothing ointments, and by that
time other physicians reached the
scene. The burns OF some were terri
BILE, the skin hanging In strips"
W. II. Hadsell. brother OF #. y.
Hadsell. superintendent Of the factory,
had a narrow escape. He was I'm the
shipping room near the elevator shaft
on the floor above that where the ex
plosiOn occurred. Blinded by the
flames and smoke which shot up the
elevator shaft. he lost his way, STUN
bling among heaps OF boxes, and was
nearly suffOcated. He was Just about
TO drop to the floor when he saw the
dim outline of a window aud managed
to reach II and Jump outside to safety.
The property loss by the FIRE is esti-
mated to-day at from 100000 to $780,
900. -Four buildings were destroyed.
the fire spreading rapidly on account
Of the failure Of the automatic sprink-
ler system to work and the inability
Of the small town fire apparatus TO
cope with a blaze OF such magnitude
with one FIRE engine and hose cart.
II is expected that the plant VIII be
reconstructed. though no definite state
ment regarding the plans Of the com
pany was made to-day.