Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-14
8 DEAD BY EXPLOSION
Forty Others Victims of Acct
dent at Liverpool
ON STEAMER HAVERF0RD
Which Arrived From Philadelphia
but Yesterday.
CAUSE OF DISASTER A MYSTERY
Fire Followed and Damaged the In
terror of the Vessel-Bodies Were
Horribly Mangled.
ON STEAMER HAVERF0RD
CAUSE OF DISASTER A MYSTERY

LIVERPOOL, June 14.-Five men were
Instantly killed and about forty were
wounded as the result of terrific explo-
sion today on the British steamer Haver-
ford of the International Navigation Com
pany. The vessel. which Is commanded by
Capt. Nelson. arrived here yesterday from
Philadelphia, June 2 landed her passengers
and proceeded to Huskisson dock early to-
day in order TO unload.
The stevedores were in the act OF loosen
ing the steamers matches, when suddenly
"a most violent explosion occurred. 1t blew
off the matches, rent the decks and hurled
dead and wounded men In all irections.
Several bodies were dismembered, and the
deck resembled the floor of charnel house.
The explosion, which was heard for many
miles. and was. according to rumor, caused
by an Internal machine, was followed by
the outbreak of fire.
The cargo, consisting of linseed oil cake
in hold No. 2 and hold No. 3, was soon
blazing flercely Firemen and police hur-
ried to the spot, and the injured were gu ck-
ly taken to a neighboring hospital, while
the work of searching for further poss BILE
casualties proceeded with vgor, in spite of
the fierceness of the fire. which soon as
sumed alarming proportions, owing to the
infiammable nature of the cargo After two
hours hard fighting, however, the firemen
obtained the mastery of the flames.
Many of Injured May Die.
II is believed that number of the men
taken to the hospital will succumb to their
injuries.
The cause of the disaster has not been
nscertained.
Later it was said that the disaster on
board the Haverford was apparently caused
by the explosion of a barrel of naphtha.
The death list now totals nine
The report that the explosion on the
Haverford was due to an Internal machine
arose from the finding of a wooden box a
foot square In one of the holds. This box,
which was only partly shattered still con-
taired pieces Of steel machinery. 1t was
prominently marked For Manchester, Eng
land
The officials OF the International Naviga-
tion Company have taken charge of the
box, but they do not attach Importance TO
the theory of foul play. and say that the
mere accident. The officials say they be-
lieve the explosion was due to ignition of
gas given of by naphtha soap. which form
ed part of the cargo.
Outwardly little harm has been done TO
the vessel beyond the rents in the deck
but inside the damage is extensive both
by the explosion and the fire.
No Explosives on Board.
Manager Willett OF the International
line, after making an examination of the
holds, accompanied by an analytical chem
list, said that at present it was impossible
20 state definitely the cause Of the catas-
trophe. No explosives of any kind were
on board. so far as known
The holds. however will be kept Just as
they were left after the explosion untn the
arrival of an inspector of explosives from
the home office, when a thorough expert
examination will be made. and 1t is hoped
TO determine the cause OF the explosion
TIE Inspector Is expected here from Lon
don tomorrow
Several Of the victims of the disaster are
unrecognizable One body was found head
less and armless, and in another case the
head was picked up, but the body had dis
appeared