East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1911-02-11
Ore Man Killed Outright, One
Seriously and Two Badly
Injured,
TOWNS OF PASCO AND
KENNEWICK ARE SHAKEN
Spark Ignites Gas I'm Empty Gaso-
line Tank With Disastrous Results
-Bridgeworker Killed and Round
house Forman Is In Walla Walla
Hospital In Critical Condition.

walla walla, Wash, Feb. IL
oscar Johnson, bridge worker for
the N p. was instantly killed, Law
renee Reid, a laborer, was probably
fatally injured, and Roundhouse
Foreman w. II. Hawkins, in the en-
ploy of the same company was bad
ly hurt when an empty gasoline tank
near the roundhouse in the Pasco
yards exploded at 230 o'clock yeo-
terday afternoon. The three men
were engaged In drilling a hole in
the tank. when a spark from the drill
ignited the gas, causing an explosion
which threw the men from the pit in
which they had been working, and
shaking the towns Of Pasco and
Kennewick to their foundations.
The tank was buried in the ground
near the roundhouse, and the three
men were boring a hole into 1t from
the outside in a pit, when spark
from the drill, caused by the friction,
exploded the gas in the tank. Round
house Foreman w. Il. Hawkins was
lust crawling out of the hole under
the tank Mt the time and was struck
by falling timbers, coming from a
platform which was built around the
top of the tank, and which was blown
up in the air a considerable distance.
The other two men were blown up
out of the hole into the air, debris
falling on them. johnson was killed
instantly, while both of Reds legs
were broken, and other minor m
juries received.
Drs. O'Brien and Drlscoll, of the
Northern Pacific railroad. were hur-
ried to the scene, and on account OF
the seriousness Of the injuries of Reid,
a special was ordered out and he
was rushed to this city for treatment,
arriving here last evening about Z
O'Clock, when he was taken by am
bulance to st. Mary's hospital.
A japanese section hand was near
by at the time of the explosion, and
aso received slight injuries about the
head. Window lights in nearby
buildings were blown out and he
buildings shook on their foundations.
As the tank was empty. the eXplo-
sion being of gas only. no fire result
ed.
witnesses of the accident state
that timbers were blown In all di-
rectlons, while the noise was deafen-
ing. All Pasco was thrown into eX-
citement. and across the river the
people of Kennewick were startled by
the report.
Hawkins, the roundhouse foreman,
who has only been married short
time, has lived in Pasco for several
years being well known there. The
other two men were bridgemen en-
ployed by the company and had been
assisting in the work. They have no
relatives in this part of the country
being travelling workmen, although
the injured man brought here laGt
night was formerly piledriver engi-
neer working near this city, and has
acquaintances here.
The engineer of the special was
given a clear track and made quick
run to this city with the injured
man, who was accompanied by both
DR.. O'Brien and DR.. Driscoll as well
as several Pasco citizens and brother
workmen. 1t was necessary to trans
fer the injured man from the cot on
which he was lying when arriving
here on the special to the ambulance
cot, as the former would not go m
side the AMBULANCE. This change
caused great pain to the injured man,
who cried aloud in his agony. He
also suffered terribly on the journey
here.
The workmen never supposed that
the gas in the tank would explode
and probably 1t was not known that
there was any gas In 1t. The tank
was emptied before the work began,
and the foreman supposed that there
was no danger. When the drill burst
through the side of the tank, sew
eral sparks flew up and in an in
stant the explosion occurred.
Upon investigation at the hospital,
in which DR.. e. =. Shaw, assisted
Drs. O'Brien and Driscoll, 1t was
found necessary to amputate the
right leg to save the mans life. This
was done Just above the knee cap.
The other leg was carefully dressed
and other minor injuries attended to
and at q late hour today the pa
tient was reported resting easily. al
though he has not yet passed the
critical stage.