New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-01-13
/. FIVE DIE IN WRECK
Of TEN-cENT STORE
Customers and Clerks Alike
Trapped by Natural Gas
Explosion.
A DOZEN OTHERS INJURED
Girl Goes Mad in Flames, Biting
and Repulsing Would-Be
Rescuer-Workman
Mistake.

Connellsville. Penn, Jan. i2-Five dead
and twelve more or less seriously injured
- the toll OF natural gas explosion which
wrecked a well filed I'VE and ten cent store
here to-day. Fire which followed destroyed
the building and before the flames were
checked damaged nine other structures.
The explosion blew out the front wall OF
the building, tearing down telephone, teie-
srsph and electric light wires, which splut-
tered and Missed. hanpering rescue work
Clerks and customers were buried In the
building
one Young woman. whose chsrred body
was found later went mad in the store.
Another Young woman was Identified only
hv her shoes. which her father recognized,
and two others. a man and woman, were
taken from the ruins tonight so burned
that they have not vet been identified.
The dead are Miss Mabel Grace Wagner.
aged eighteen years. clerk; Chrstobel ,.
smith. aged sixteen years, clerk; Minnie
Mulae. aged sixteen years, clerk. an IN
Identified woman, and an unidentified man.
Workmen who had removed natural
gas meter failed to cap the supply pipe. and
Just az a porter was instructed TO DO so oy
the store manager the explosion came. The
porter. who had started toward the cellar
20 obey instructions, has not since been
seen
No one remembers the exact sensations
following the explosion. Miss Ada Mitchell
sat at a piano playing music score for a
customer who stood at her side. Both were
hurled through a side door and found them
selves bruised and bleeding In an alley.
The manager said he was standing In an
aisle Just after returning from the cellar
when the floor rose quickly. quiyered
moment. then the whole store dissolved in
q deafenine roar When the tossing ceased
ne found himself among wreck OF boxes
and counters i'm the cellar. Although badly
bruised he felt no pain and hurried from
the place.
The victims were those whose duties took
.nem behind the counters OF the stores.
The cries OF Miss Smith, Miss Wagner and
Miss Nulac could be heard long after
those Of the others who had been blown
roward the doors and were later rescued.
Hundreds OF persons stood in the street,
helpless 10 answer the cries for help. Five
minutes after the explosion flames envel-
oped the building.
one girl could be seen running franucal-
Iy back and forth behind counter. the
flames playing near her and the smoke
sitting her Several men ran In a side
door. but the heat and smoke were so in
tense that two Of them were forced back.
one man CROPPED his way TO the end Of the
counter. where the girl was crouching. Her
clothing was then burning. AS he grasped
her hv the arms she screamed and snapped
AZ him like a rabid dog. She had gone
mao fr anticipation Of her horrible death
Almost overcome by heat, the man was
unable ~ resist the insane woman and ne
fed
she bit me- he cried, holding UP
bloody finger 70 several who had family
discerued the struggle through the smoke
Then. o. II terrified by the ghastliness OF
his encounter. he stumbled away from the
scene