The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
Cave In At Blast Furnace
Plant SmOthers Several
Men, Injuries Others
WERE DIGGING TRENCH
FOR GAS FLUE EXTENSION
Great Crowds Gathered Last Night
and EndeaVored To Assist In the
Work of Rescue-SeveraI
Bodies Still Buried.

Two men killed outright, four severely
wounded, several others more or less in
| jured, and possibly several men buried
alive is the result of a cave-in of the
walls of an excavation at the blast fur
naces of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and
Railroad company at EnsIey last night.
The accident secured about 9 o'clock.
With the exception Of w. o. Garrett
and w. e. Cooley, who were foremen,
all the injured men were Bulgarians. The
recovered dead are: Mitre Gergoff, 50
years old; leaves wife and three chill
dren.
Skas Audorff, aged 49, single.
| The injured:
| w. e. Cooley, crushed shoulders.
| w. o. Garrett bad cut on head.
Nick Washur, married, arm and leg
broken.
Peter Collaur, single, leg broken.
The others injured were able to walk
home. The dead were removed to the un-
dertaking establishment and the injured to
the Cunningham hospital, where they re-
ceived medical attention.
The accident occurred in the excavation
for main gas flue to the new battery
of Rust upright boilers that are being
installed at the plant. The earth had
been removed about 20 feet deep, the
sides of the cut being reinforced with
planks. To remove the earth from the
excavation, steam "conveyer" was used,
operated by a steel cable and a hosting
engine. This is an iron receptacle, which
holds about O. ton. The loose earth Is
shoveled In by the laborers and Is then
drawn to the top by the steel rope and
the earth dumped into a car.
Last night, while the hole was filled
with men digging and loading the earth,
the steel cable broke while raising load,
the long beam which extends over the
hole was thrown against the planks sup
porting the sides, displacing them and
causing hundreds of tons Of loose earth to
pour in on the men working below.
The breaking of the cable and crush
against the woodwork caused momen-
tary stoppage of work, and gave the men
an opportunity to try to escape.
AS the cdTlH pOuIcQ III tiAC S0S viz AAASAA
made a frantic rush for the surface and
many succeeded in escaping with few
knocks from falling timbers.
The cries of the men who were partial
ly buried beneath the falling debris
brought help quickly, Notwithstanding the
great danger, not only from further cave
in, but from the fact that the falling tim
bers had displaced a temporary wall over
the end of the gas flue. causing the dead
ly fumes to fill the ruins. Brave and will
ing hands went to the rescue of their fell
low workmen. AS quickly as the injured
were rescued they were rushed to the
hospital for treatment.
As the news of the accident spread great
excitement prevailed, not only over the
plants, but over Ensley as well, and many
conflicting rumors were circulated and the
dead and injured placed at high figure.
Crowds rushed to the scene or the dis
aster, somewhat hampering the officials
In their work.
The officials and heads of departments
worked hard and faithfully, volunteers
from all branches, men who were employ
ed In the clerical force going to the work
of rescue by the side of the skilled me-
chanics. The leak in the gas fiue was
stopped and the rescuers were able to
work more rapidly. Just how many men
were actually in the cut was not as
certained at a late hour last night and it
is thought there are several other bodies
beneath the pile of earth. The cut will
he cleared by noon today.
w. o. Garrett, who was injured by be-
ing hit on the head with the falling beam,
is well known in Ensley and vicinity He
was employed at the steel plant for years
and until recently was storekeper at the
Mulga Mines w. E. Cooley has also
been in the employ of the company for
many years, and is well known in Ensley.
They were both removed to their homes
after receiving treatment. The foreigners
who were killed or injured were brought
to Ensley IS months ago and were IA
miliar with the class of work in which
they were engaged.
The accident caused a temporary sus-
pension of the plant, as almost every
man employed at the works went to the
rescue of the unfortunate victims At a
late hour last night the injured were do
ing well.
CnTKJC EDIDAV