The Washington herald., 1918-05-19
Hundreds More Injured in
Wreck of Chemical
Works.
CASES HINDER RELIEF
Army Of Rescuers Held
Back by Deadly
Fumes.

ing death to I7o, injuring several
hundred more, devastating a large
area over which hung deadly fumes
that hindered the work of rescue,
three fierce explosions of trinitro-
toloul wrecked the Oakdale plant
OF the Aetna Chemical Company
at noon today.
More Deaths Likely.
Five hundred workers were en-
gagged in this war munition plant
At least one hundred and seventy
are believed to have been blown TO
pieces, while but few of the others,
II any. escaped injury from the fly
ing debris. 81
How many more are in immediate
danger of death has not yet been
estimated. as the havoc wrought by
the fierce conclusions, and the
poisonous gases that hung low over
the neishborhool for hours after
the explosions had ceased, hampered
the work ot rescue for which hun
dfeds vuiunteefed. From the over
taxed hospitals, strained to the ut
most in an endeavor to stave off
further rayages of death exact
figures were not Forthcoming.
That the arm of a man was found
along the railroad tracks near Rem
nerdale, three quarters Of a mile
from the plant, gives an idea of
the violence of the explosions.
The first explosion occurred in the
soda house of the plant. the impact
setting on a tank of irinitrotoluol
which was being manufactured for
the government. Sulphuric acid
fumes permeated the air within a
radius of half a mile, which, with
the heat of the fire. made death diff
ficult to avoid. so that doctors and
nurses. from hospitals and the Red
Cross, were unable for some time
to aid the injured lying on the
ground with burning embers fall
ing about them.
so Killed at Lunch.
The first and second explosions
clme while eighty men were eating
lunch in the T. N. T. house. 1t is
believed all these were killed. The
third explosion occurred a few Sec
onds' later, destroying the remnant
of the plant that still stood.
Following the third explosion
residents of the heights about Rem
nerdale saw bodies of men shot into
the air.
Hundreds of persons hurrying to-
ward the plant after the shocks of
the first blasts came upon a scene
of awful desolation. Great columns
of smoke rolled up from the wreck
ed plant, driven by the wind. Woods
on the surrounding hilIsides were
ignited by the flaming debris and
were burning in all directions.
Buildings LeyeIed.
Fifteen buildings were leyeled.
fifteen tanks of explosive acid
blown to bits. and a great crater
was filled with burning debris and
buildings wrecked for mile
around. On the thirty acres oc-
cupied by the big plant, nothing re-
mained tonight but FIVE tanks of
acid standing isolated on a hill. In
the valley which held the buildings
the devastation was complete.
Death was not confined to those
in the plant. Rescuers rushing to
render what assistance they could
were slaughtered in a series of new
explosions which followed the first.
Crowds from the hills tonight watch
ed while flames completed the work
of destruction.
Plant History Dark.
Since the Aetna plant was first
built at Oakdale its history has been
oin 81
lowed explosion. Today's loss with
the complete destruction of operating
plants, equipment and most of the
acids in storage may exceed $500 900
of itself. ~
The burning embers ignited the
roofs of houses In districts adjoining
Oakdale and the occupants armed
with buckets carried water to the
roofs and extinguished the flames.
Many injured workmen who could
not be assisted to places Of safety
were forced to lie out In the FIRE area
and be slowly asphyxiated by acid
fumes.
DIR. ]. A. HANNA. a, surgeon of the
Pennsylvania Railroad. who was In
charge OF the relief. train which car
ried the injured to this city, de-
scribed the town as living hell.
He told OF children lying dead on
hillsides mile away from the ex-
plosion.
Red Cross Nurses Leave Parade.
Red Cross nurses. dressed to par
ticipate in the parade here. upon
learning Of the disaster. left Inn
CONTINUED ON PAGE SEVEN.
WHITE suLPlIuR spnINcs w.