The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-07-25
rBy Associated Press.)

SLES CLASD, OHlO, July 20
Twenty-Five men are dead and half
dozen are dying as result of an ex-
plosion Of gas in water works tunnel
five miles from shore underneath Lake
Erie. late last night.
The dead include workmen who
were trapped in the tunnel when gas
exploded and members OF two rescue
parties who attempted to save the
men. or the dead II were in the force
trapped by the explosion. None OF
these escaped. The first rescue party
consisted Of Z men. Four of them per.
ished and three were saved. The sec.
ond rescue party comprised II men,
six of these lost their lives and five
escaped. .
\ The first rescue party accomplished
nothing. The second saved one Of the
first relief expedition. No one has yet
reached any OF the original eleven
caught In the workings. OF the eight
rescuers who got out alive two died
later and the others may die. Two
others who did ont go into the tunnei
were overcome by fumes.
A third rescue party entered the tun.
mel at $3.50 and brought out alive Gus.
tav c. Vanduzen. superintendent OF
waterworks construction who hal
headed the second relief force. He may
die from his experiences. One body
also was brought out by the third res
cue party. This was a member OF the
second rescue crew. 1t had been sup.
posed that Vanduson had persisted.
The tragic fate Of the rescuers in the
first and second crews was due to the
tact that they worked without oxygen
helmits which were unavailable. These
rescued who afterward died fere vic.
Tins OF the fact that no pulmetors
were at hand for use In attempting to
resusciate them. This lack OF rescue
apparatus was condemned by the res.
cuers and Mayor Harry L. Davis today
promised to conduct rigid investiga-
ton Of this shortcoming as well as
into the catastrophe Itself.
The third rescue party was equip.
ped with helmits which had been as
sembled but nearly eleven hours had
elapsed following the explosion before
sufficient equipment to fit out the third
rescue party was at hand 10 permit q
descent into the tunnel.
The party Of workmen caught by the
explosion entered the tunnel at Is
o'clock last night. The first intimation
Of the disaster came when VIM. ]. Do
Ian lock tender in the air chamber at
the entrance to the tunnel heard the
dull bomb OF an explosion. This was
about $3.50 o'clock Dolan was thrown
against the door leading from the air
chamber into the tunel. This door,
was jammed by the blast and deadly
fumes poured out OF the tunnel almost
overcoming Dolan. He finally managed
to close It and then releasing the high
pressure from the air chamber he
opened the door leading to the crib
above and gave the alarm to the mel
at the surface Of the lake.
Supt. John johnson summoned vol.
unteers and led the first rescue party
Of volunteers down the elevator anu
into the tunnel $50 feet from the bot.
tom Of the shaft they began to stun.
BILE and crumble and fall overcome by
fumes. Dolan who had resumed his
post in the air chamber rushed after
them. He saw flash of light In the
darkness. II proved to be Johnson
flash light which he still grasped
where he had fallen. Dolan dragged
him to bottom Of the elevator shaft
and went back. Almost dead himself
he tried to drag Peter McKenna to
safety. Then he collapsed. Others
from the crib took the three up the
elevator and they were placed aboard
boats which had been attracted from
shore by rockets.
1t was two hours later that Vandu.
son who had been summoned from
home by telephone organized the sec
ond rescue party on shore and went
to the CRIB. With his men he descend.
ed into the tunnel. His men found Mi.
chael Keough OF the first rescue part,
still alive and dragged him out. They
went in again only to suffer the same
fate which had befallen the first party.
Finally four Of them managed to stag.
ger back to safety. The others did
not come out until the third rescue
party was organized and went after