Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-01-21
BLAST WRECKS MUN|T|0N
FACTORY NEAR LONDON
Chemical Plant Center of Explosions,
Which Scatter Destruction
Over Wide Area.
ABOUT 40 BODIES RECOVERED
Chief Point OF Volcanolike Upheaval
Is i'm Heart Of Working District OF
Suburban Town-One Hundred
Persons Reported Injured.
ABOUT 40 BODIES RECOVERED
fBy Associated press,l

fBy Associated Pressl
| LONDON, January 20.-A portion Of
the area Of London was shaken Sc,
verely last night when chemical
| plant in which munitions were manu-
| factured was the center OF n series of
| explosions, scattering destruction over
| a considerable section OF the district
| in which the works were located There
| is no evidence that the explosion was
other than the result Of a fire, such
as that to which any factory is sub
ject. About forty bodies have been
recovered. and 100 persons have been
! reported injured.
The central point OF the Volcano
| like upheaval was in the heart of the
working district Of Il suburban town.
AT 6:45 p. NJ. series OF explosions
suddenly transformed the works into
fiery furnace, and great masses Of
burning liquid and timber and red
hot iron were hurled high in the air
| Mingled with the deafening crash of
| beams and girders were cries from
the working people. An adjoining flour
mill. In which a number Of women
and girls were employed, was en-
quilted.
The explosions were only the center
of a succession of widespread series
| of fires. as the masses of frebrands
| from the affected quarter settled down
on surrounding areas Added to tho
terror of this upheavaI was the sud
den darkness In which the entire
quarter was plunged.
| Crowds OF relatives and friends
swarmed into the East End district
seeking word of those within the
stricken section. At midnight, while
the work OF rescue was still In prog
ress. the area continued burning, re-
hecting a lurid glare over all Londoa
All available ambulances were reauisi-
toned. Schoolhouses and police sta
tions were used as temporary hos
| pitals
DAMAGE EXTENDS
TO DISTANT POINTS
| The damage extended to distant
points. and to sections where plate
glass fronts were reduced to masses
or debris. while the extent and Sc
robustness of the destructIon increased
III the working quarters nearer the
explosion center. Two distinct work
Ing districts adjacent to the scene of
the main explosion suffered heavily in
levelcd houses. One OF the improvised
hospitals was opened for the recep-
tion of children.
The fremen directed their chief et-
forts TO restricting the area OF de-
struction and preventing the fire
| spreading to other nearby warehouses
and factories. This was largely sue
cessiui. ana comparatively little dam
age was done to the warehouses.
! An announcement given out here to-
day said:
Al about o'clock last night fire
started at factory in the east Of
London. near the river. which was en-
ptoyed in refining explosives Fortu-
hately few minutes elapsed after tn,
commencement of the fire before the
explosion occurred. during which in
terVai many operatives were able TO
escape from the factory.
mo explosion appears to have in
vowed practically all the explosives in
| the factory, which was itself complete
| !! destroyed. Fires were caused in
neighhoring warehouses and factories
one OF the largest of which was an
| important -four mill. The effects of
the explosion We're felt for great
distance Three rows OF small houses
! IN the immediate neighborhood were
practically demolished. and consider
able damage was occas stoned to other
property.
MANY KILLED BY EXPLOSION
OK BURIED IN RUINS
An engine from the local fire sta
| ton had reached the spot and was
| playing on the fire when the explo-
sion occurred. The chief chemist OF
the factory and number of other
working people were killed by the ex
! piosion or buried in the ruins
''rhe chief chemist, pr. Angel, while
advising operatives to seek safety. him
self went 10 the fire and attempted 10
combat il.
| THE number of persons killed either
III the factory or in the neighhorinc
| houses has not set been ascertained
| The casualties. however. owing to the
warning which the people had by the
| outbreak of the fire. are not nearly
so heavy as at first Anticipated Up
Continued on Fifteenth pageD
Where 10 Go This Winter.
New Orleans. Gulf Coast Resorts, Texas
or California. Phone Mad. c72. SOUTHERN
| RAILWAY. for information and literature