Evening star., 1911-01-12
BLAZE SPREADS RAPIDLY
FOLLOWING AN EXPLOSION
Tangled Wires for a Time Thwart
Efforts of Rescuefs.
DAMAGE TO OTHER BUILDINGS
Second Explosion in Adjoining
Structure Adds to Seriousness
of Fire in Connells-
vile, Pa.

CoNNELLSVILLE, Pa, January l.. =
McCrorey's five-and-ten-cent store at
North Pittsburg and Apple streets sud
denly became a fiery furnace at 10 o'clock
today when gas explosion wrecked the
building and the flames which followed
communicated to adjoining structures.
Three young woman clerks are missing:
two clerks and the assistant manager and
a carpenter are in the hospital, danger
ously burned and injured, while dozen
or more other employees are at their
homes suffering from injuries more or
less serious BY noon the flames were
under control. and the property loss had
cen placed at $1,000
1t cannot be determined whether the list
OF missing will be increased until the
debris from the collapsed walls has been
gone over. There were customers in the
store when the explosion occurred. but
the exact number is not known, nor have
their names been learned.
Missing and Injured.
Christobal Smith. aged seventeen. clerk.
Nellie Mitchell, aged nineteen, clerk.
Mary Wagner, aged seventeen, clerk.
The injured:
Gertrude Otterman, aged eighteen. clerk.
William Miner. aged eighteen, clerk.
Charles Loomis, aged twenty-nine, as
sistant manager.
Lloyd Fisher, carpenter, cut and bruised
and burned over the body.
These are dangerously injured
Others sustained cuts, burns and bruises.
Their names: Ada Mitchell, piano play
ss,s, Margaret Green. clerk; Anna Fuert-
ney. cashier; C. L. Ron, manager; Minnie
MuIak, clerk; Rose Ieighty, clerk; Rose
Jakes, clerk; Mable Wagner. clerk; Mary
King. clerk: Riley Sneak. carpenter;
Cleveland Warrick. carpenter, and Alex
ander kooser, carpenter
Five Buildings Damaged.
The buildings damaged are: McCrorey
store, Citizens National Bank, Graham's
drug store, residence and office of DR..
IL. r. Atkinson, residence of Fire Chief
Mitchell There were about twenty GUS
toners in the store when the accumulated
gas let go. The front wall was blown into
the street and in falling carried with it
a large number of electric wires. These
were tangled in mass and prevented
for a time any thought Of rescue Tor
those imprisoned in the wrecked struc-
ture.
Ada Mitchell, the piano player. COM
planned 10 Manager Poff or the strong
Vuor o. gas. and he went to investigate.
Before his return tile explosion had oc-
curre0. Miss Mitchell, who was sitting
al VI "a
strument from the back of the building
through its entire length and into Apple
street. -Four carpenters were at work
In the cellar, and when the manager
reached them the force of the explosion
Was felt. Three of them escaped with
slight burns. while the fourth probably
will die. Fire appeared TO break out i'm
all parts of the building. and within a
lev minutes other walls began TO fall
Merchandise was piled high up on the
floors. many clerks being buried under
meath.
Rescuers Reach the Injured
Then the walls of adjoining buildings
went down, but party of rescuers
had been organized and, clearing away
the wires. forced passage into the
and 10 cent store. Here they
quickly located the stricken employees
and customers. and as each was found
he was carried out.
Ambulances had been summoned and
those Of the injured who could not be
cared for by physicians on the ground
were hastily hurried away to hospitals
Iniontown responded 10 the call for
help. and sent fire-fghting apparatus.
and large force of men. These aided
the Connellsville department in COM
pletinc the work of rescue and in
lighting the fire, which was gaining
rapidly.
With the flames subdued il is hoped
10 recover those believed TO be in the
ruins before night.
Later il developed that there had
been two explosions. one in the Citi-
zens National Bank, the front of which.
alSo blown ont