The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-05-10
Result of the Oil Explosion at
Santa Fe Shops.
Victims We're All Employed in
the Tank Cars.
NO TIME TO ESCAPE
Building Filled With Flames
Following the Explosion.
One Man Dies at Hospital Fol-
lowing Accident.
NO TIME TO ESCAPE

The Dead.
PETER BURGHART. 14O1 East
Crane street.
JOHN sCHAFER, $50 Green street.
HOMER CORBETT. 1921 East
Fifth street.
The Injured.
Philip Blatner, SIS East Fairchild
-(will recovery.
A red hot rivet falling in vat of
oil at an oil tank construction repair
shed at the Santa Fe shops Tuesday
afternoon caused a horrible explosion
which resulted in the death of three
men and the injury of another. The
shed was burned to the ground and
about $4,000 in damage was done by
the fire which followed the explosion.
The men who were killed and in
jured were inside the tank cars at the
time of the explosion The flames
spread so rapidly along the trenches
inside the building that John Schafer
and Homer Corbett were unable to
leave the cars alive. Peter Burghart
succeeded in getting out of the car
in which he was working but died in
the Santa Fe hospital from his in
juries.
It was stated in late editions of the
State Journal last evening that Philip
Blatner was killed. The first reports
to the Santa Fe officials told of his
death. But Blatner succeeded in es-
Gaping the worst part of the fire be
fore it had spread to his car and he
will recover from the burns on his
body.
The excitement in the shop district
was so intense at one time Tuesday
afternoon that reports came to the
State Journal of ten deaths.
AS near as can be learned from en-
ployees working in the building red
hot rivet from nearby construction
work fell in vat of oil. An explo-
sion followed The flames spread
rapidly along these trenches and
leaped into the tank cars These cars
were being repaired and men were IN
side the tanks with their tools
A scramble for life began at once
With black smoke nearly suffocating
them and with flames leaplng up
around the cars the entrapped men
made a wild leap from the tanks.
Corbett missed his footing, according
to stories told by fellow workmen'
and fell between the cars. He was
overcome by smoke and died in the
fire that followed.
Schafer was suffocated before he
could leave his car. He fell back into
the tank and was burned to death
Burghart, a Russian leaped from
the car, ran out of the building with
his clothes in flames and crying in
agony he started down the yards as
fast as he could run. At intervals he
would fall on the ground and roll in
an attempt to eXtinguisr the fire that
was burning him. Workmen caught
up with him and put out the flames.
He was removed to the Santa Fe hos
pital where he died at o'clock.
Santa Fe officials are not positive as
to the cause of the fire Some of them
take the story of the employees to the
effect that a hot rivet caused the fire.
Others believe a fuel supply pipe
burst.
Loss Less Than Estimated.
Chief Wilmarth of the city fire de-
partment stated this afternoon that
frequent calls had been given the fire
department from the Santa Fe shops
following explosions of these oil fur
naces and not from outside sources.
The chief gives out no theory as to the
origin of the fire but he is under the
impression that the furnace explosion
was the cause.
The general sentiment among the
employees favors the red hot rivet idea.
Il consider it very fortunate that the
fire did not spread to adjoining build
ings and cause a big property loss,'
said Chief Wilmarth this afternoon.
"Oil fires are so uncertain and the
presence of so much oil at this fire
made the fire fighting dangerous to the
men of my companies and the COM
panies of the Santa Fe. The wooden
trucks of many of the tank cars were
in flames when we were attempting to
check the fire and no one knew wheth-
er the tanks were full or empty. We
had to be near them, nevertheless-so
it was with caution that 1 led my men
near the burning interior.
Santa Fe officials today expressed
their belief that the shed would be re-