The Detroit times., 1911-12-22
FATHER AND SON BLOWN
THROUGH WINDOW WHEN
DRUM OF GASOuNEL LETS GO
Pair Escape Serious Injury in
Explosion in Lynch Bros
Cleaning Shop.
BUILDING is WRECKED.
Fire Which Follows Completes
Havoc and Losses Heavy
Others Have Close Call.
BUILDING IS WRECKED.

Joseph Lynch and his l0-year-old
son, Joseph. Jr, were blown through
the front window OF Lynch Bros
cleaning works, No 143l Gratiot-ave.,
luckily escaping with only slight in
juries, and the brick building was
badly wrecked when gasoline-filled
drum used for cleaning, exploded
with terrific roar at Z o'clock, Fri
day morning.
Nearly every window In the. clean
ing shop and in the saloon and dwell
ing OF Albert Tucker, No. 1929 Gratiot-
ave-. which occupy part of the build
ing, was shattered by the explosion,
and a fire which followed. and which
was confined TO the cleaning shop and
the Lynch dwelling on the second
floor, was SO hot that II melted the
glass In the kitchen door. changing II
to a thick liquid. Portions or the
Christmas decorations from the Lynch
home were blown across the street
and lodged in the tops OF some tail
trees. The street was covered with
shattered glass. and 50 great was the
force of the explosion that the stone
sills, around the ground level or the
building. were blown out OF place,
over the sidewalk.
Mrs. Lynch and her two little daugh-
ters, Marie, aged five, and Katherine,
a few years older. were asleep In pea
at the time, and scapd from the smoke
filed fat in scanty attire, going 10
the home OF neighbor.
Albert Tucker, his wife, mother-ih'
law and little daughter, Gladys, aged
nine years, were almost thrown from
their beds over the Tucker saloon py
the explosion.
Lynch had just started the inachin-
ery n few minutes before o'clock,
-ar> stepped to the front of the shop
when his young son, walking back to
watch the machine, cried out that the
drum was overfowing with gasoline
An instant later the explosion oc-
Cured. II is thought that spark
from the dynamo ignited the gasoline.
The little boys hair was singed
and his face was somewhat scorcned.
Lynch and the boy were hurled
through the front window, landing In
the street. Lynch was painfully
burned about the hands and neck, and
his hair was singed. but he was other
wise uninjured.
His loss is estimated at about $4,000
while the damage to the building,
owned by the Philip King Brewing
Co.. will amount to about $4,000 more.
1t is thought that $500 will cover the
loss of Albert Tucker, who manages
the saloon for his brother, Frank
Tucker.
The fire department made a quick
run to the scene. and in spite Of the
dangerous nature of the fire. with two
tanks OF unexploded gasoline in the
midst of the flames, the fire laddies
quickly had 1t under control. and saved
half Of the building from any damage
by fire. though the explosion itself had
wrought considerable havoc In the
fuckers portion of the building.
Lynch is a brother OF Aid. Thomas
Lynch, who was one OF the first per-
sons to reach the scene Richard f..
Lynch, OF No. 124 Fort-st. west, Is
Joseph's partner in the business.
A year ago they had a similar explo-
sion, which damaged the rear portion
OF the building.
At the time OF the explosion, Friday.
wagon was passing the cleaning
shop, and several persons are willing
to swear that wagon, horses and driv-
er, were blown across the street, over
some temporary. raised car tracks at
that point. while others say that the
horses leaped with fright, giving the
impression that they were blown
across the street.