Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-23
ACCIDENT THE CAUSE
Coroner's Jury Considers
Death of John VenabIe.
EXPLOSION AT GAS PLANT
Upsetting of Wheelbarrow the
Primary Reason.
WITNESSES TELL THE FACTS
DR.. Glazebrook Explains That Burns
Were Responsible for Demise.
Interment in Virginia.
WITNESSES TELL THE FACTS

| Coroner hewitt conducted an inquest al
the morgue today as an outcome of the
explosion at the main plant OF the Wash
| ington Gas Light Company eight days
ago, when John Nenable. colored sus-
tanned burns and cuts which proved fatal.
Nenable was the only colOred man In
| jured and the only person to die as re-
suit The jury rendered verdict OF ac-
! cidental death.
DR.. William 4. Sparks of the Emer-
gency Hospital testified that he went
| with the ambulance to the scene of the
| explosion Monday morning of last week
and assisted in the removal of three
men to the hospital. Peter Kelly and
| Edward Anderson, white, are still in
| the hospital. Venable was seriously
burned and his death occurred Sunday
morning. Venable was sent to a
ward after he had been treated in the
operating room. Death. the witness
said. resulted from the burns.
John Wesley Harris, colored. Oh 9th
street, testified that he was working at
| the plant of the gas company the morn
ing the accident happened. He had been
employed there number of years.
DO you know what caused the eNplo-
Sion? the coroner asked.
Yes, SIR was the response. The wit
ness explained how wheelbarrow in his
charge had overturned and caused num-
Der of bricks to drop through the pipe
line He was wheeling the bricks to Ven
able, who was working in No. ). on the
floor where witness was working.
Witness said he hurried to one of the G
street windows to get out of the building
The explosion, he thought. occurred about
two minutes after the accident to the
wheelbarrow.
Engineer Explains Accident.
James S. McIlhenney, engineer at the
gas plant. explained that the cover Of
the pipe that was damaged was fastened
by means of two pins. one of the bricks
struck one of the pins and broke it off.
opening a ten-inch pipe and causing the
explosion. Men working near the scene
of the accident, he said, had light, and
it was when the gas came in contact with
the light that the explosion occurred.
Were the men justified In having the
light there?' inquired the coroner.
Witness responded in the affirmative
and said it was probably fortunate
thing the light was So close. The eXplo-
sion covered only short area, the gas
seeming to remain in pocket.
1t was suggested by the coroner that the
use of incandescent electric lights in the
water gas room might lessen the danger.
but witness declared to the contrary. ex-
planning that there is d flame from the
machinery at intervals
Pipe in Good Condition.
John S. Cumberland, 26l1 l. street, en-
ployed at the gas plant as a helper, tes-
titled that he was working in the plant
when the accident happened. A brick
dropped from the wheelbarrow, he stated,
knocking the door off one of the con-
densers. He said he thought the accident
resulted from the wheelbarow taking a
slide.
WAS the pipe that was broken in good
condition." Coroner hewitt asked.
Yes sir"
William Leigncl 1928 j street. testified
that he had been in the employ of the
gas company about five years. The MORN
ing the accident occurred the witness was
at the other end of the building. He
heard Anderson call to them to throw off
all the machines.
why did he do that?
Because he saw there was danger"
Anderson. he said, called 10 the men be
fore the explosion occurred.
Deputy Coroner GlaZebrook testified that
Venablc was burned about his body
chest. arms and head, and death was
caused by the burns. No further testi-
mony was heard. This afternoon the body
of Nenable was taken to Amelia county,
Va, the former home of deceased for In
ternent.