The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1910-09-15
FATAL EXPLOSION
ON NORTH DAKOTA
Three Men Of Crew Killed and
Nine Badly Burned.
THIRD ACCIDENT ON WAR VESSEL.
Admiral Schroeder's Report Says the
Fire Occurred While the Battleship
Fleet Was on the Way from the
Drill Grounds TO Hampton Roads
The Dead Men Were Coal Passers.

Newport News, Va. Especially Three
men were killed outright and nine others
we're horribly burned by the explosion of
m oil tank in fireroom No 3 of the new
giant battleship North Dakota, near Cape
Henry, while that ship was coming to
Hampton Roads from the Southern drill
grounds, 36 miles southeast of the Capes,
with the first and second divisions of the
Atlantic Battleship Fleet
While they were horribly burned about
.he face and body, all of the injured
are expected to recover. They are now
being cared for on the hospital ship So
lace. which is anchored or Old Point
Comfort. Though he gave out lengthy
statement relative TO the disaster Rear
Admiral Seaton Schroeder. commander
n-chief of the Atlantic fleet, would not
say what caused the explosion and Of
icial details are lacking. However, it
s learned from sailors of the North
Dakota that one of the pipes leading
INTO the tank in Fire Room No. 3 was
defective and the heat in the engineroom
gnited the oil in the pipe and the burn
ing fluid passed in the tank, setting the
'il there aiire and causing the explosion.
While dazed for an instant after the
explosion it is said that the uniniured
men and even some of the wounded
worked heroically to prevent the fire from
ipreading to the coal bunkers and caus-
ng serious conflagration aboard the
ressel. Lieutenant Murfin, the men say,
displayed great GOODNESS and nerve and,
though burned about the face and body,
)ravely directed the firemen and coal
oassers in removing the injured and eX-
'inguishing the flames.
For few seconds after the explosion,
excitement ran high on the ship as it
vas at first thought that a boiler had
exploded. However, the sailors were soon
'eassured and they set to work to save
.heir ship from fire.
Schroeder Explains.
Following is the official statement
given out by Rear Admiral Schroeder
about the explosion:
Between l0:30 and IL o'clock A. NJ.
oil from Room No. 3, in the North
Dakota caught fire while the first squad
ron of the Atlantic Fleet was making
passage from the Southern drill grounds
to Hampton Roads. Under request
from the commander of the North Da-
kota. the commander-in-ch of the fleet
Immediately ordered the North Dakota
TO leave the fleet formation and the bat
.leship New Hampshire put near TO ren.
der assistance in case they could be of
service. No assistance was necessary and
by 80 o'clock the fire on the North
Dakota was under control. 1t has not
yet been ascertaned how the fire started,
although it is believed that the disaster
vas not due to any carelessness upon the
oart of the men of the North Dakota.
A board of inquiry was named to investi-
gate the accident, consisting of Capt. C..
4. A. Cove, of the Delaware. senior Of
icer; Lieutenant Commander c. " Price,
VI the Delaware, and Lieutenant Com
nander A. NJ. Proctor. of the Connecti-
mt. This board will thoroughly look
nto the cause of the explosion"