The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-23
Fireman Robinson Dropped
Lighted Match in Hole.
1T SHOOK BUILDINGS.
Flames Shot Twenty-Five Feet
into the Air.
Leaky Mains Cause of Accident
No One Injured.

! With a terrific explosion that shook
buildings for blocks around and
awakened people all over the city, the
emergency fire cistern, Eighth anc
Kansas avenue was blown up and
practically ruined at 1 o'clock this
| morning.
The explosion was caused by the
dropping of a match in the cistern
! and the ultimate ignition of the i'm
mense amount of natural gas within.
The match was dropped by E. l. Rob-
companies of the Topeka fire depart
ment. Robinson was testing the cf5-
tern for gas before he ordered one
of the department engines to the
scene where it was intended to pump
the water out of the cistern.
Robinson was alone when the ex-
plosion occurred. He had left word
at the headquarters station to send
and left for the cistern few minutes
before. He knew that the hot Goals
from the fire box of the engine would
ignite the gas if there was any in the
cistern and in order to prevent any
accident to machinery and men he
tested the ciStern beforehand.
The accident tore out the pavement
for number of yards around the in
tersection of the street car tracks.
The extent of the damage to the els
tern is not known. The Edison COM
pany has men on the scene today
clearing away the pavement, and dig
ging down in under the street car
tracks for the purpose of laying steel
Orders across the cistern and
strengthening it for the heavy traffic
above.
1t is thought. however. that the
entire arch of the cistern is broken
and ruined. AS there was consider
able water in the lower portions of
the hole it is not thought that this
section is ruined. The city will make
repairs and put the cistern in good
shape at once.
Robinson Not Blamed.
The city officials and Chief Will
marth of the fire department do not
blame Engineer Robinson for the act.
In fact they consider it the proper
precaution to take. If Robinson had
drawn up alongside the ciStern, the
connections had been made and the
cap removed, an explosion winch
would undoubtedly have killed or Sc
Verely burned two or three f1remen
and ruined the engine would have re-
suited.
TT is necessary to run the steamer
close to the man hole and then lit
the heavy suction over into the hoie,
said Chief Wilmarth. in speaking of
the incident this afternoon ITO lift
this suction into the hole two men
would have to carry the apparatus
and bend over the opening in making
the lift. The fire box of the engine
would have ignited the gas at once
and as for the rest-I hate to think
of what would have happened pc
lieve Engineer Robinson did the right
thing-if he had not taken any pre-
caution the city would have been in
mourning today"
Reported as Leaking.
Ten days ago (MarcL 49, it was re-
ported that the cistern at Tenth and
Kansas avenues was leaking. Chlef
Wilmarth sent a detachment of fire
men to look at the hole at once and
after the cars had stopped running the
men commenced work Before they
raised the manhole cover they set their
lantern a few yards from the hole. Inc
cover was taken off and almost instant
" an explosion followed. 1t was neces-
sary to replace the cover to extingulsh
the flames.
men were vigilant last night and En-
gineer Robinson tested the cistern be-
fore allowing the fire engine near the
scene. The explosion followed. 1t is
interesting to note (fcr the benefit of
the superstitious) that one explosion
was on the 18th of the month and the
other on the 23d.
Chief Wilmarth has notified Manager
FreIeaven of the Consumers Light,
Heat & Power company to look for gas
leaks in the city at once The gas
company has a force of men driving
bars down into the pavement below
the surface Of the asphalt. After
hole is made the men touch a match
to it in order to see if there is any
escaping gas IN that vicinity. Gas has
been found.
1t is known, however, that the gas
collecting in The fire eisterns is escap-
ing from the gas mains and is under
the whole business district of
Topeka. This is the sixth explosion
in the last few months. Engineer
Robinson is receiving bulk of the
gas results. He was burned about the
head in the first explosion on Seventh
street In the fatal explosion that
caused the death of one man and the
frightful injury of four others, he was
one of those badly burned. Now he is
mixed up in the recent explosion at
Eighth and Kansas avenue.
Intended to Pump Cistern.
The fremen intended to pump out
the cistern Tuesday night. Since the
line through the cistern it has been
leaking continually and it has been
necessary to refill it at different times. |
Last evening the Edison people in
formed Chief Wilmarth that they
were ready to make, the repairs and /;
asked that the cistern be emptied. |
While preparing to empty the cistern
with a fire steamer the accident hap |
pened.
The explosion sent volume of flame |
up into the air 25 feet. Fire emerged |
from the manhole and died down at
once after the explosion. The rebound |
broke the paving. The cistern Is 0 |
feet long and 8 feet wide. 1t will be