Omaha daily bee., 1915-09-28
Car Of Gasoline at Ardmore, 0kl.,
Explodes and Resulting Blaze
Kills and Injuries Scores
on Scores.
DAMAGE IS HALF A MILLION
Flames Reported to Be Under Con-
troll at Six O'clock After Des-
perate Fight.
TWO DEPoTs ARE DEMOLISHED


ARDMORE, Okla, Sept. 27.-At
least twenty persons were killed and
1t is estimated 400 others were in
jured dangerously here this after
noon when 25O-barrel tank car Of
gasoline exploded. The forces Of the
explosion shook down many build
ings and threw burning oil in every
direction, causing scores of fires in
every part of the city. At 8 o'clock
the. fires were under control and the
city was under martial law.
ARDMoRE, okl.. Sept. 27 (By
Telephone to Muskogeel Fifty peo-
pie are believed to be dead and at
least zoe are injured and property
worth at least $5OO,OOO was de-
stroyed by fire here this afternoon
when a 3,0O0-barrel tank car ex-
ploded.
y At $3.50 O'Clock tonight the fires
had been extinguished.
Fifteen bodies had been recovered
at 6 O'Clock tonight. Two of them
were taken from the Santa Fe freight
depot, near which the explosion oo-
Cured, and five from nearby cafes,
The force of the explosion threw
burning oil over the city and more
than thirty fires were burning at one
time. A dense smoke pail settled
over the city, adding to the con-
fusion.
Martial law was declared tonight
to prevent looting.
Town in Flames.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Sept, H.-Two
score of persons are reported to have
been killed and number estimated at
from. fifty to 100 injured as a result Of
the explosion of a s.OoO-gaJion car of gas
oline at Ardmore, Oltl, tate to-day. Com
munication with the town, which is re-
ported in flames, has been ctt off, The
report claiming the heaviest casualties,
twenty-five killed and 10 0injured came
from Oklahoma City.
Caused by Explosion.
DALLAS, Tex. Sept. H-Ten blocks OF
business buildings are burning at Ard
more. okl.. according to reports re-
ceived here late today The fire is said
to have been started by gas explosion.
All wire communication with Ardmore Is
reported out of commission from points
south of Ardmore.
Last reports from Ardmore said a big
natural gas storage tank had exploded,
destroying the greater part of the town
and completely wrecking the passenger
station, where the telegraph lines are To-
pated.
The telegraph operator. who furnished
the information, according TO local telc-
graph company, walked three miles south
of Ardmore. where he tapped wire and
notified Dallas headquarters. The oper-
ator said the town was darlkened by
smoke and he did not know the extent OF
the damage.
The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe pas
senger station at Ardmore was destroyed
by the explosion. according to a report
here over railroad wires. 1t was stated
every person in the station was killed.
Car of OIL Explodea.
FORT WORTH. Tex. Sept. N.--A Ions
distance telephone message from Ard
more to the Star Telegram at $3.50 O'CLOCK
says the known dead in Ardmore Is four
One hundred were hurt. Several bis
buildings are burning. A car of gasoline
on the Santa Fe tracks exploded. causing
the damage.
Many of Dead Women.
TULSA. 'okl., Sept. ia message file'
at Admore at 4:2O o'clock this afternoon
CContinued on Page Two. Column one.)