The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-03-30
BIG EXPLOSION
 A MYSTERY, 3
 PROBES BEGUN
(Continued from page D

then rolled the workman, whose cries of agony could be heard for blocks, on the ground, and beat out the flames with his hands.
 By this time a force of at least 100 men from. other parts of the plant had arrived on the scene. The action of the barge captain awakened them from their state of bewilderment and they chased the 10 or Il workmen with flaming clothes about the yard.
 Catching hold of the injured and panic stricken men they threw them forcibly to the ground and extinguish- ed their flaming garments. Articles whcih could be used as wraps were hurried to the scene and the men were rolled in them. Despite the heroic ever, nearly all their garments were burned from their bodies and three were absolutely stripped of every yes tige of clothing.
 Dr. S. l. Aranki or the emergency hospital was hurried to the scene and a number of jitneys were comman- deered by officials at the plant. Nine injured men were taken to the Bridgeport hospital in these vehicles and three or four other Workmen less seriously injured were treated in the factory plant. One man whose name could not be learned was re- ported to be so seriously hurt that he could not be moved from the fac- tory. This was not verified however.
 Bridge builders engaged in con- structing the new bridge at Grand street, which is just below the plant, jumped into skiff and rowed hur- riedly to the scene. Informed by Captain Mccarthy and Charles Wylie, of the Burritt Lumber Co.,, who wit messed the explosion, while standing on the lumber dock directly across the river, and other witnesses that they were positive, they had seen man blown through the roof and land in the river, the bridge workers dragged the river bed with grappling irons.
 After a half hours search they were told that no one appeared to be missing and that those who thought they saw a man blown into the river mistook the acetylene gas tank for workman. This has been contradicted by witnesses who say they saw the arms and legs of the workman dang ling in the air as he dropped to the river.
 General Superintendent w. R. Web- ster of the company stated this morn ing the river was being dragged for the gas tank, which he was desirous of recovering to ascertain just what caused the explosion sand he did not think any one had been drowned.
 eff a man was drowned I do not believe he was one of our workers. If any individual lost his life in this fashion he was person who had no business about the premises and was not employed by us," said Weo- ster.l %
 The bridge workers who are enl- ployed by the DeVoe Tompkins Co, stated they would resume the search for the body if the mystery was not solved by officials at the plant.
 The structure in which the explo- sion occurred was built of galvanized iron and was completely wrecked by the accident The roof was rent, not window pane or sash left whole, and the sides bent and bulged. The build ing occupies an area of land on the waterfront about 60 feet long and runs hack about 50 feet from the dock.
 That the explosion was the del1ber. ate ana W1lIul dCI Ol dLy c1AASAA SJ AAAk1~ thizer. officials of the plant and the police are loa.h to believe, although they admit they can find absolutely no reason why the tanks should ploW up
 General Superintendent Webster stat ed yesterday that the welding appar- atus was not in use at the time of the explosion and had not been employed tv the workmen since early yesterday morning. The fact that the plant IS making brass shells and bullets for the Allies in huge quantities did not In the mind of webster have any s1gn1f1- canoe. although he was frank to admit he could not fathom the cause of the explosion.
 JAS demonstrated by a Farmer rep- resentative. who was denied admit tance to the plant through the gates III Housatonic avenue, entrance to- the buiB1ing or yard from the Pequonncck river. is an easy matter. A crank or foreign agent assigned to damage the factory could obtain a rowboat, land on the dock and step from the dock into the building.
 Detective James Dooley and other members of Capt. Cronan's squaid were assigned this morning to the task of unravelling the mystery and officials of the company have. promised them every aid in their. quest of a solution of the problem