Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-01-21
MUNITIONS PLANT
EXPLOSION ROCKS
: EN|GHsR CAPITAL
Dfast Said by Officer
Home From Front Worse
Than Anything at Battle
of the Somme.
HEARD MILES AND MILES
Fire Brigades From ALI Over
London Battle Against =
the Flames.
WITNESSES TELL STORIES

London, Jan. 20.-A portion OF the,
area Of London was shaken severely
last night when chemical plant i'll
which munitions were manufactured
was the center of a series of explo-
sonS, scattering destruction over
considerable section OF the district in
which the works were located, There
is no evidence that the explosion was
other than the result OF fire, such as
that to which any factory is subject,
The central point OF the volcano
like upheaval was in the heart of the
working district of suburban town.
At GAS p. IN. 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 wom-
ell and girls were employed, was en-
quilted.
Center of Series of Fires.
The explosions were only the CEN
ter of succession OF widespread
series of fires, as the masses OF fire.
brands from the affected quarter set
tied down on surrounding areas.
Added to the terror of this upheaval
was the sudden darkness i'll 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 progress, the fire con
tinued burning, rejecting lurid glare
over all London. All available a1tbu-
lances were requisitioned, even the
London police ambulances being sent
to the distant scene. School houses
and police stations we're used as
temporary. hospitals. '5''g + ,
%'N Distant Points Damaged. 4
The damage extended to distant
points, and TO sections where plate
glass fronts were reduced to masses
of debris, while the extent and seri-
BUSINESS of the destruction increased
in the working quarters nearer the
explosion center. Two distinct work.
ing districts adjacent to the scene OF
the main explosion suffered heavily
in leveled houses. One of the impro-
vised hospitals was opened for the
reception of children.
The fremen directed their chief ef-
forts to restricting the area of de.
struction and preventing the fire
spreading to other nearby warehouses
and factories. This was largely sue
cessful and comparatively little dam
age was done the warehouse.
A young army ojcer who was home
on leave told The Associated Press
correspondent that he had been
through heavy fighting on the Somme
on the front in France, but that moth
ing he experienced there came so near
shaking his nerve as the explosion
which occurred at point less than a
mile from his home. He said:
Whole Sky Ablaze.
"A great fare in the sky lighted up
my room and as | dashed into the
street the whole sky was ablaze and
an explosion more powerful than any
gunfre shattered my home. Then !
set about aiding i'll the work of res.
cue"
Those who we're permitted at the
scene of devastation soon after the
explosion saw many pathetic sights
A young man who hurried his mother
and his sister from their house wher
the explosion began to shake it said
"The next moment | was blowr
across the room with the dressing
table. Then the ceiling came dowr
and in another instant the house col
lapsed like cards and | rolled into
the street, where I found my mother
and sister safe but terror-stricken."
Blown Half Mile Away.
! The ruined buildings were blazing
and confusion prevailed in tina
vicinity two hours after the explosion
The correspondent passed through
the street near the scene of the dis
aster ami the tottering houses still
were collApsing. A fireman who wit
messed the great blast from poin
OF vantage described it thus:
Through the center of grea
fare | saw huge white ball rise tc
a great height and then vanish. | saw
,,..a -. De-. r,uo roiur,n nr.N