The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-03-21
MUNITIONS WORKER
 FATALLY HURT WHEN
 HE DROPS ILLUMINATE
Slipping on C1od of Snow As He Kicks Door Shut, U. M. c. Go. Employe Drops Two Pouches Containing Powerful Explosive - Hand Is Torn Away.

Powerful Explosive
 Hand Is Torn Away.
 Force of. Explosion Stops
 Machinery in Section o1
 Plant Work Suspended
 For Day in Immediate
 Vicinity-Wom Work
 CTS Suffer Shock.
 William Bergold, aged 27 was probably fatally injured this morning at the plant ot the Union Metallic Cartridge Co.,, when he fell while carry ing two pounds of illuminate.
 The machinery in one of the buildings of the plant was stopped by the force of the ex- ,pIosion. Windows for many yards around were shattered and four women suffered se- were shocks. One suffered the loss of her hearing, it is said.
 A cTod of snow on the heel of Bergold's shoe is indirect ly responsible for the explo- sion. Bergold slipped and dropped the explosive.
 The explosion occurred shortly be- fore o'clock in the priming room in building No 2S7s facing Seaview ave zlue, just south of Arctic street The window in the one-story building for a distance of 200 yards were shattered No damage was to houses oppO- site the factory The detonation was felt within a radius of one mile.
 Bekgo1d Aroomed at 733 East Main treet. He Is unmarried He had been employed at the plant only since We'd neday.
 He was making his second trip of the morning from the illuminate mix ing shanty, the scene of three axplo-7 ions during the last year The dis fance to the printing room is about 200 yards. Bergold had two rubber re- ceptacIes in his hands, each carrying one pound of illuminate He was compeIIed to walk through narrow guIch between the magazines for about 1eo feet He then mounted a ys with newly fallen snow. The distance from the stairs to ahe prirning room is about 100 more feet In covering this distance his. shoes became clodden with wet snow
 Bergo1d reached the priming. room 3n safety, found ii nece&sary to open the door of the prizning room, after pIacirAfy the receptacle on the floor He picked them up and endeavored to close the door with his heel Wit nesses say that when he lifted one heel to close, the door the other one, covered with snow, slipped from un- der him and the dangerous rubber car riers flew from his grasp and landed with considerable force on the floor some distance away. and exploding just as Bergold, unable to hold his bal ance slid along the floor of the priTn- ing room. Bergo1d's body was hurled against the side of the building.
 Women screamed and ran to and fro in fear as the second explosion oc- cured Glass fell to the floor of the factory room and blood from the lac erations on the body of Bergold be- epattered the inner wall of the pr1m- ing room
 Four women are said to have stf- fered from shock and it is said that one of them suffered the temporary loss of her hearing. They were taken to their homes in the private automo- piles of the concern
 So powerful was the force of the ex- plosion that machinery in room No 237 was stopped. It was not re-started as the workers there. following the custom, were dismissed
 7. Dr. George B. Cowel1, factory physi- 1 clan, arrived on the scene shortly af-l fer the explosion He gave first aid 1 sent for the private ambulance of | E2ourke & Boucher. In this vehicle 1 Bergold was transferred to the Bridge l port hospital, in an unconscious con- i dition- Bergold was rushed to the operating | table where Drs. Cowen. Ives and Car roll, aided by other members of the | Bridgeport hospital staff began work ing over him in an endeavor to save | his life.
 There it was found that h ; had suf- fered internal injuries, an injury to | the left hand which necessitated the | of that member at the wrist, a shattered forearm, and burns | about his legs and body. Although i officials of the Remington Arms & Ammunition Co, express hopes for his his condition is very crit cal.
 Factory officials ordered work to bJ eeased in room 237 and the employees were sent to their homes. BergoId is he only enploye who was seriously injured.
 While the ambulance was on it's way to the scene of the explosion a coal art belonging to the City Ice & Coal so.. dumped a load of soft coal at the intersection of Barnum and Seavfew lvenues, by accident. The ambulance was going full speed tt the time and narrowly escaped be- ng overturned as it caromed off the
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