New Britain herald., 1917-02-02
FORTY KILLED BY
 EXPLOSION OF GAS
Continued from First Page,

mother, two brothers and sister were in rooms adjoining his and that he believed they were killed.
 Stanley Peters, who suffered pain- ful injuries from flying glass and timbers, asserted that two of his children were lost. two others being rescued.
 Neighbors of Samuel Friedman in the tenement told the settlement workers that Friedman and hi. family of four had been buried be. heath the wrecked timbers as they were in the part of the building which collapsed first %
 Leak in Gas Main.
 Following an investigation by a wrecking crew from the gas company it was said that a main which ex- tended through the cellar of the wrecked tenement had burst, filling the basement with gas which exploded when some one went to investigate The employees of the gas company worked vainly for some time in at tempts to shut off the gas.
 In the building across the street from the wrecked structure fire fol. lowed the explosion and the occupants fled in their night clothing to the reata porches. These collapsed, precipitatS ting them to the ground. causing pains full injuries.
 Calvin F. Davis, switchmanl working nearby, said the explosion felt like an earthquake. Flames shot up from the side of the building almost immediately the rumble of tho ex- plosion had died away" he said" and then suddenly Q big blue flame 1eaped high in the air and the whole building crump1cd up. With four other switchmen I ran to the place and we caught three children thrown over tha railing of second story porch and a fourth struck me on the head and knocked me down.
 '"The place was in darkness when we arrived except for the light made from the blaze, which apparently was fed by gas from a broken main. Our attention was attracted to piles of powdered brick and plaster. some Of which moved and from which came, hands and occasionally foot. These we dug out.'
 Rescue Fifteen From Death.
 Davis and his companions slfc-. ceeded in extricating fifteen persons from the wreckage. He said that tho flames gained such rapid headway that the efforts of himself and his com panions were of little avail against tho fire. When the police and hremen ar rived, however, they were caring TOT more than 8 dozen children who hAd been separated from their parents.
 Bodies Frozen in Mud.
 Bremen attacking the ice-ccversd wreckage penetrated through tho 3. they could see what seemed to bodies beneath the mud and thu efforts were redoubled and ambS. lances were sent for in the hope thu victims still alive might be rescued.
 After working for an hour Ut theg wreckage where the moans came from firemen came upon man and woman in a semi-conscious condition. Tho firemen said that the voices were be- coming plaincr and that number of persons seemed to be imprisoned tn q sort of wreck-choked grotto arShcd over by fallen tim mbers.
 At Il o'clock two women ana two girls, unconscious but with the spark of life remaining. were rescued and sent to the county hospital. s
 Seven inquiries wore begun by vur-. ious city and county department. Morris Feldnlan, the janitor told tho police that on various occasions Com plaint of the odor of gas was made to the gas company and that rc- pairs were made to shut off the escape by pieces of tape.
 Feldman said he went away with out ordering anything.