New-York tribune., 1906-06-06
DEATH in EXPLOSION.
FIRE TGNITES NAPHTHA.
Police and Firemen Hurt-HuSbQnd
and Wife Killed IN Vest Side BlaSe.

A man and a woman were killed. an unldefiu-
fed man was perhaps fatally injured and TWEEN
ty-ive other and women. including three
firemen and three police. were hurt by an expio-
sion of naphtha following fire in a dyeing es-
tablishment at No 5O3 West 55th street, last
night. There was a panic in the tenement
houses in the neighborhood in many Of whlch
every pane of glass broken The list or
dead and injured follows:
THE DEAD.
BERNARD. Mrs Sarah No 500 West 55th street
BERNARD Samuel. No. sos West 50th street
THE INJURED.
BRADY 5o4 West sSh 3 street PaS5 sos wrenohed
cut by flying glass; attended ana Went nome
BREssEN 1sis ven; En- home SS 800 West ''n street, ~
BRISKovB William B. No Se4 wss5 sSa sttsns sss5 and md
Vent Vent home Ua e'S"' ''~ '
AN Ens@s S burned about
CLARK. Harry No $50 Tenth avenue: injured by hyins
KELLY. Mary. No 5o4 West 55th by flying
KEENAN, Patrick. No. "a columbus avenue; cut by
MADDEN. Mr.. Margaret. No. 500 West 55th
scalp wounds: went home
se. and B. :s ca%Ranz a0Ds ABOUT
ssas and Sce Ro6s9e GR osp fany
MMAHoN. Martin. No. 434 West 55th street; cut by
flying glass; went home
face and arms; went home
I & No 5 Wsst SS5 nS sfs Vent Snf hse By glass
ROONEY George No ss1 Eleventh avenue; cut about
FEAM Ven, 's%as sas address unAn0"n cut by H'Hs glass;
rAGGARr. John NJ. No asa 55th badly cut
TRACY Michael No. 44s West 5sth right
leg: attended and went home
The explosion occurred in a four-story and
basement brick building. the basement and first
floor of which were occupied by Samuel Bernard.
rNfE1
by families, most of whom escaped before the
explosion 1t was Bernard and his wife who
were killed.
The fire started from unknown cause in a
pile of rags on the third floor at 10 p. m. II was
discovered by Policemen Wagner and Hewes,
who send in alarm and then started through
the building to get out the tenants.
Engines 53 and OF and Hook and Ladder 81
responded to the alarm, and in ten minutes
seemed to have the blaze under control Appar-
emily they did not know of the naphtha stored
in the basement. In some way sparks reached
this. and without warning there explo-
sion which rocked the building from side to
side shook the houses in the neighborhood and
was heard for blocks Flying bricks and glass
filed the streets.
Lieutenant Matthews and Ladderman Con-
nors. of the hook and ladder. who had line
of hose on one of the ladders were blown 10
the ground and the ladders came tumbling
after them into the crowd Firemen Piper and
Mooney were on the roof at the time. trying
TO rescue Patrick Herman, of No. % Columbus
avenue who had been going through the house
getting the occupants out. They were knocked
down and severely bruised and cut.
Sarah Bernard had gone 10 the third floor
10 get some money and jeweiry. and was at
the back window calling for the fremen TO
take her down when the explosion came. She
was blown out of the window and was found in
an adjoining yard Her neck was broken
Although the police have the names of only
twenty-six persons injured. II is thought that
many more cut by flying glass. The house
in which the explosion occurred stood alone. bu-
on each side with vacant lots intervening were
houses and across the street were several large
tenement houses. The windows of these houses
work when the explosion occurred They were
hurled back and covered with flying glass.
The building itself was wrecked by the force
of the explosion and Battalion Chief Devanny
informed the Buildings Department that il
unsafe. The damage was 10000.
Patrolmen Wagner and Hewes had just
reached the door with a Hungarian family from
the top floor when the explosion blew them all
into the street.
William Rooney. a ten-year-oId boy. standing
in front of the building. was blown into the area
wav across the street and lay there unconscious
for some time. At one time II was thought he
had been burned TO death in the building.