Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-01-21
Whole Section Is Trans
formed Into a Lurid
Volcano of Fire.
GIRLS AND WOMEN DIE
Workers Engulfed by the
Flames; Death Toll as
Yet Is Unknown.
BULLETIN

BULLETIN
LONDON. JAN. 21-(3:O2 \. NJ
THE DEATH ROLL OF FRIDAY
NIGHTS Explosion II NOW BE
TWEEN FIFTY AND SIXTY, AC-
COHDING TO LLOND'S WEEKLY
NEWS. N TEN HOSPITALS ON
SNTlRD ~ PERSONS DIED AND
THERE WE'RE II. PATIENTS RE
lEINI\G TREATMENT, ADDS THE
WEEKLY. IN ADDITION. 265 PER-
SONS SUFFERING PROM LIGHTER
INJURIES WfKE TREATED.
LONDON, Jan. 2O.-A portion OF
| the area of London was shaken sr-
,crcIN last night when chemical
plant In which munitions were manu-
facturcd was the center of n series or
explosions scattering destruction q
considerable section Of the district IN
which the wOrk> were located. Thc"c
l. no evidence that the explosions
were other than the result of u fire
such as that to which any factory Is
| subject
The central point OF the Volcano
like uphcaVnl was In the heart OF tic
working district OF u suburban town.
lat G:iS ~. M. u scric- of explosions
suddenly transformed the works into
n fiery furnace and great nnsSc' OF
turning liquid and timber and red hot
iron were hurled high In the mir.
Mingled with the dcaicning crash o'
beams and girdcrs were cries from the
working people. IN adjoining Hour
min In which q number ot women and
giIls were employed was cngulfcd.
The explosions were only the center
Of a succession or widespread Series
oi fires as the masses OF firebrands
from the affected quarter settled
down on surrounding areas
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 stu In prog
ress the area continued burning. Ia
flecting a lurid glare all over London.
| All available ambulances were requisl-
toned. even the London police ambu-
lnnces being sent to the distant scene.
| School houses and police stations were
used rs temporary hospitals
Plate Glass Shattered.
Tho damage extended to distant
| points and TO sections where plate
glass we're reduced 10 masses of de-
hris, while the extent and SERIOUSNESS
of the destruction increased in tho
working quarters nearer the explosion.
/ Two distinct working district adjacent
to the scene of the main explosion suf-
fered heavily In levelled houses. One
I Of the lmprovised hospitals was
opened for the reception Of childrt n.
| The firemen directed their chief ef-
forts to restricting the area Of destruc-
tlon and preventing the fire from
spreading to other nearby factories
and warehouses This was LARGELY sue
cessful and comparatively little dam
| age was done the warehouses
Worse Than Sommc.
A young army officer who was
home ON leave told the Associ lted
Press correspondent that he had been
thru heavy fighting on the Somme
front I'm France but that nothing he
experienced there came so near shak-
Inc his nerve as the explosion which
occurred at point less than mile
from his home lie said
"a great flare in the sky lighted up
my room and as / dashed into the
street the whole sky ablaze and an
explosion more powerful than ANY
gunfiro shattered my home. Then !
set about aiding in the work OF
| rescue"
Those who were permitted at the
| scene of devastation soon after the
explosion saw many pathetic scenes
| A young man who hurried his mother
and his sister from their house when
the explosion began to shake II, said.
Blown hCTo>> Room.
"Tho next moment | was blown
across the room with the dressing
tables Then the ceiling came down
and in another instant the house coll
/ lapsed like cards and | rolled into
the street where | found my mother
and sistcr safe but terror stricken"
The ruined buildings were blazing
and confusion prevailed In that vicin'
ity two hours after the explosion The
correspondent passed thru the street
near the scene OF the disaster, the
tottering houses still were collapsipg.
/ A fireman. who witnessed the great
blaze from a point OF vantage, de-
| scribed it thus;
Scenes Spectacular.
"Thru the ccnter Of great glare
saw a huge white bail rise 60 great
height and then vanish. saw also
| molten and blazing masses shooting
thru the air to great distances
! IN American business man, who
was a witness to the disaster ot last
evening, gave the following OF IL to
the Associated Press.
"l had been ON a business visit to
the chemical works and was leaving
IN the direction Of the suburban sta
ton late in tho afternoon when
policeman ON duty outside the gate
that hud Just started into the huge
inc,usure which embraces numerous
| CONTINUED ON FACE lIlRrEEN