Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-02-07
ESCAPING CAS- IN
OVEN IS THEORY
Of EXPLOSION
Confined from First Page,

ments and its own fire company. He
added that fire drills were held twice
a week when the weather permitted,
and that the employees could leave
from every part in less than five min
utes.
Detective Godfrey said he would con-
tinue to investigate the causes that
led to the blow-up.
At first every hindrance was thrown
In the way of those Investigating the
accident by the company. Employees
were ordered not to talk under any con-
sideration. Guards were placed at all
the doors. Admission was refused even
to new men who had been hired to start
work today.
Although Henry Miller, the assistant
superintendent, expressly denied to an
Evening STAR reporter that more than
three men We're injured, it was at first
believed by some of the workmen them
selves that some who were injured were
hustled into other rooms of the fac
tory and detained there until they
could be spirited away to their homes.
One estimate of the injured was six.
County Physician Mckenzie stated
today that he intended to investigate
thoroughly the cause of the fatal ex-
plosion.
Lackawanna avenue is roped off for
200 feet and marked with danger signs
beneath the windows that were blown
out, although it is not believed that the
wall was materially weakened.
How did the acciden, happen?"
Mr.. Miller, who was in the building
when the explosion took place, was
further questioned by an Evening
STAR reporter today.
We've studied the matter from
every side" he said, 'and we can't
understand how or why it happened.
The factory was inspected only two
weeks ago by the st; e authorities.
They went all through the building.
We have sent representatives to the
City Hospital to question the injured
men,
rs it true that you tried to hinder an
investigation, when ali explosion ike
Ills in the daytime might mean an
appalling loss of life?' he was asked.
w haven't hid a thing. We are
not keeping the affair from the pub
lie"
The blow-up took place at 8 o'clock
last night, just as the overtime work.
ers were about to stop. Not only was
the entire %japanning room wrecked
completely, but the windows were
blown out and a hole was driven
through the roof.
When the thirty men in the o.
had started for their coats, Lofts WAS
Still standing near his oven, a CORFU
gated iron affair on a brick base. It
was heated by a mixture o. gas and
air. A ventilator was kept running all
tie time to keep the oven clear of
gases,
The workmen who were leaving were
stunned and Mortified by the shock
and roar of the explosion. They re-
that men were still in the
room, but they feared a sec
ond blowup.
When they at length forced their way
back into the dark room. sitting with
fumes and kissing steam. they found
the dead and injured.
e. HI. Harder, superintendent; Mr..
Miller and General Foreman schueman
took charge of the rescue work. Had
the accident happened during the day
it would have imperiled the lives of
hundreds of men an girls.
Ielel IJotiS' VI IL oheillelu street, the
man, was married and had three
children His body was removed to
Mullins morgue. in Washington street.
Later a cousin identified the body.
OF the three men in the City Hospital
Michael Michele. of 521a Barclay stree,
is in the most critical condition. His
lung is punctured, all his left ribs are
broken and he has two scalp wounds.
Israel Felman, of Sc Barclay street, has
an y socket fractured, muscles rup-
tured and two scalp rounds. Stanley
Fedeck. of AZ Rankin street, VIC has
W ribs broken and his face badly cut.
will o