The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-09

The explosion took place on the see.
ond floor of the three story brick
structure, which faces Cherry strees.
the top floor, testing discs, and 800
men were scattered about the second
floor Of the factory where the grinder.
designated as mo. g." which caused
the explosion is located, and on the
first floor. =
The three dying men, Caruso, Bprzst
|and sadowsM, with fellow employees.
were working around the grinder.
feeding tbe machine with. the raw
material from which is mAnesec&uN.ed
discs.
Suddenly a terrific explosion shook
the building, doors were blown out,
windows smashed and the gates Of the
grinder hurtled through the air. Great
sheets Of flame poured through the
openings Of the grinder. Caruso. wfo
was standing nearest the machine,
with Broszt and Sadowsk were en-
velopnd in flames. u
Every vestige Of clothing was
burned from Caruso's body in a min
ute and the other two men ram
through the department, their flaming
clothing making them veritable hu-
man torches. Huge sheets Of. fire
spread from the second floor to the air
chute AS they reached the third floor
of the structure the flames ,mush-
roomed and spread throughout the
department where thes girls were
working.
One girls hair came in contact with
a tongue Of fire and it was almost en-
tirely destroyed Florence Schaeffer,
unable to escape when the room first
caught fire and who was working
near the chute, suffered burns about
the hands and arms. Huge billows OF
smoke coupled with the flames and
the noise Of the explosion terrorized
both the men and women employees.
They rushed madly for the stairs
trampling over one another in their
efforts to flee to safety. Maurice d.
Gruchan was knocked down and re-
ceived injuries to his knee which
were treated by physicians from the
emergency hospital Screaming,
hysterical girls tore their clothing and
rushed in all directions, entirely los
ing their presence of mind.
Hurry calls were sent to the emer-
gency hospital, and alarms sounded
from box 251. Telephones were kept
busy summoning nearby doctors to
the scene. DR.. J.. e. Hair, OF 730
State street, and DIR. Edward w.
Dupee, OF 1913 State street were
among the physicians to respond.
When they arrived they found nuuer-
Gus girls suffering from bruises and
and a few from slight burns.
All the injured were treated with
the assistance Of DR.. c. C. Taylor of
the emergency hospital. and were re-
moved to their homes. Their cnndi-
ton is not serious. Michael Gruc-
howski, suffering from burns on the
hands was taken home. Miss Ethel
Burns, was treated for hysteria and
bruises where she fell and was tram
pied on . Florence Schaeffer sustained
Arst degree burns on the. arms and
hands. She was removed to her resi-
dence.
Many others more or less injured
or burned, whose names the physi-
clans did not take, we're treated and
allowed to go home.
When the first news of the fire was
spread throughout the plant, the de-
partment maintained by the company
quickly got out their lines. Two min
utes after the blaze started they had
two streams playing on the flames and
it was no doubt their prompt work
which prevented a serious fire.
When Chief johnson got to the
scene they were taking Caruso out
OF the burning building. He was
placed in Johnson's car and Lieut..
Michael Balm rushed him to the emer-
gency hospital. with Caruso wrapped
in blankets. DR.. Taylor advised Balm
not to remove him from the car but
TO take the injured man directly to e.
vincent's hospital. This was done.
DR.. Taylor then rushed to the scene
In the emergency hospital ambulance.
He found Broszt and Sadowski In an
condition on his arrival.
Continued on P4Ee a