Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-01-25
BLAME CARELESS
WORKMEN FOR BIG
PLANT EXPLOSION
Believe Fire in Leather Factory
Was Started by Throwing
of Match on Floor.

The only explanation offered today
stroyed the two-story brick leather
japanning building of the Riordar
Leather Company, at South and JET
ferson streets, is that a careless work
man, leaving the building last night
cropped a ~smoldering cigarette OF
match. This deduction is in view o
the fact that there wasn't a light or q
wire in the building and spontaneous
combustion is not considered likely.
The fire started a few minutes after
the workmen had left. L. e. Smith
the night-watchman, was in the boiler
room, a one-story frame building adj
joining, when he saw the flames and
sent in an alarm.
Michae Riordan, the president OF the
company, had reached the corner OF
Kinney and Pacific streets, on his way
to his home, 50 Congress street, when
he saw the flames and hurried back
Due to the lack of windows and
doors in the building the fremen hao
hard work fighting the fire, which re-
sctnbled a furnace. There are ten
ovens for the drying of hides n nc
windows or doors on three, sides of the
building. There was a muffled SOUND
a. the confined flames blew out OF
the south wall of the building. Then
the roof caved in and the flames shot
high. Battalion Chief Morgan esti-
mated the loss at SIS, 900. Mr.. Riordan
made this statement:
II cannot explain how it hap
pened. Ever since l have been
here, eighteen years, no light
OF any kind has been allowed in
the building and there are no electric
wires anywhere near it. have big
tanks of water placed everywhere in
the yard in Ease of fire. but they were
useless in this case, as the building was
a sheet of flame when ] got here.
Big stock on Hand.
1T will be impossible for me to esti-
mate the damage until l have gone over
my books and discovered how much
stock there was in the %japanning rooms
We had one of the biggest stocks we
have ever had, and this fire will mean
a big loss, as most of the orders at this
time OF the year are rush orders. The
building and stock were insured, but
the insurance will not begin to pay the
losses
Captain c. Albert Gasser, superin-
tendent of combustibles, made a
thorough investigation of the fire and
explosion. He said:
THE explosion was undoubtedly due
TO the almost simultaneous ignition of
so much highly inlammable material
as was stored on the second floor. Not
tina there was any unusual amount
on hand, but that what there was all
took fire so quickly that the heated
air and rapidly expanding vapors found
a vent by tearing through the twelve
inch wall at the side where it was
weakest because pierced by eight win
dows. Before the alarm was sounded
flames were coming out of these win
dows. There had been no explosion
but when the first fire apparatus ar
rived the wall had been blown out
which seems to prove the argument.
LAS to the cause of the fire, l be-
lieve that one of the workmen in leav'
ing the place lit a pipe or cigarette
and threw the match on the floor. There
was no artificial light in the factory
neither gas nor electricity. The mer
quit when darkness prevents further
work. The last man locks the doc
and takes the key to the Waterman
who is also the night engineer and WIFI
is stationed in the boiler house ad
joining.
Waterman Saw Flames.
This routine was followed tonight
In looking out of a window five or ter
minutes later, the Waterman saw tht
reflection of a bright light, and, run
ming outside, he saw flames coming
from all the windows on the south side
He ran to a fire alarm box, but wal
told that an alarm had already beer
sent in. He heard no noise of an ex
plosion, although he ran back immedi
ately. 1t was one of the most peculiar
and al the same time most fortunate
fires.
1.-THE main supply of naphtha wal
kept outdoors. 1t is intact. There ma.
have been from sixty to eighty gallons
of naphtha. on the second floor in thre'
or four open cans. 1t was the rapit
combustion of this material that caused
the mischief.
"The general conditions of the fac
tory, from the viewpoint of such haz
ards. were excellent. every known pre-
caution having been taken to proven
fire or explosion. There was nly fit.
pounds Of steam on. there was no othe
heat. and there was no possibility o
fire from any lighting device. NO
does this material take fire spontane
ously."