The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-12-29
GASOLINE PLANT BURNS
AT BENWOOD YESTERDAY
OVER FORTY THOUSAND GAL.
Ions OF EXPLOSIVE FLUID
DESTROYED IN BLAZE.
oreln Of Fire unknown-Seversi
Tanks Explode, Shaking Build
inas in Vicinity.

The II. VI. Gilleland & Sons gaso
line plant. at Third street. Benwood,
was almost completely Quilted by nre
yesterday afternoon shortly after $3.50
o clock. More than 40 900 gallons OF
gasoline and five large tanks were
destroyed. The origin OF the blaze
Is unknown n an investigation Is
being conducted by the Benwood
police. The loss is estimated to be
about $4,000,
Fire departments OF Benwood ana
Wheeling fought the blazing mass Tor
nearly two hours. and when they per
ceived that nothing would save the
tanks efforts were devoted 10 the main
building. and a large railroad tank
car standing on a siding. The main
part OF the building was only badly
charred at one corner. The tank car
was saved by allowing the gasoline to
flow from It.
The first alarm was sent in TO the
Benwood department at $50 o'c!ocs
and another to the Wheeling depart-
ment. Before either arrived on the
scene the four large tanks In the plant
We're a blazing mass. During the IRE
lighting several ~1O-gallon tanks about
the plant exploded throwing the in
uammable fluid upon the blaze al
ready raging.
Benwood and Wheeling police co.
operated i'm keeping large crowds who
rushed to the blaze at the first alarm
out of the danger zone. fearing ex.
plosions, which threw flaming masses
OF gasoline TO all parts Of the plant.
Neither Fire Chief DeeEan OF the Ben
wood hre department nor CHEZ Rose
OF Wheeling were able to tell of the
origin of the fire. When both de.
partments arrived upon the scene the
IRE had gained such a Roadway that
IL was impossible to tell at which
place il had started.
Fifth Tank Goes Up.
Al $3.50 when the hremen had the
blaze almost under control the found
alton supporting a fifth tank col.
lapsed and allowed the gasoline 10
flow. adding fresh fuel to the blaze.
The fire is said to have started
shortly before $3.50 o'clock. but the
hrst explosion occurred shortly before
4. This explosion vas the hardest and
II shook nearby buildings and broke
several windows in the old glue man.
ufacturing plant. which was only re
Gently turned into a gasoline plant.
Mr.. II. NJ. Gilleland. owner OF the
plant. is in Pittsburgh. but IL is
learned that the industry will be re-
sumed within the next few days. Sew
eral men were at work in the plant
at the time OF the fire. but all were
warned in sufficient time TO make
their escape.
Newest Industry.
The industry is one OF Benwood's
newest. it having been only recently
organized by Mr.. Gnleland and several
Wheeling and Bellaire men. For the
past several weeks. only the making
of gasoline has been undertaken by the
plant which was organized for making
gasoline and refining oil. On account
OF the scarcity OF oil. this part Of the
Industry has not been taken up as vet.
II has been but a few weeks since
two large tanks were installed and
these were destroyed By the fire yes
terday.
The intense heat felt when the Dlaze
was at its highest. caused the nremen
fighting the fire no little difficulty. Il
was almost impossible 10 stand near
the blaze. but the efforts Of the firemen
were successful I'm saving the main
building and the tank car standing on a
siding.
While the exact cause Of the blaze
Is not known. rumors were anoat that
10 might have been started By an en-.
envy OF the plant. but this idea was
denied by employees n others con,
nected with the plant.