The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-05-19
Plant Demolished When Guam
tity of High Explosives
Went Up In Air.
BOILER HURLED
HIGH INTO AIR
Many Wounded Fell to Earth,
TO Meet Fate i'm the Flam-
ing Debris.

two hundred persons, mostly men,
were killed today when an explosion
a. r. y T demonilshed the plant of
the Aetna Chemical Company at Oak
dale, sixteen miles from this city. ac-
cofding to estimates by officials to-
night Many were injured, some of
Wnom We're found as far as half a
Iniie from the scene OF the explosion
and brought to Pittsburg hospitals, all
50 badly hurt that physicians hoped
for the recovery of but few.
Five hundred persons were working
in the plant when the explosion oc-
CURED The property loss is estimat-
ed at one million and half
Workmen in the plant were startled
at noon by the report. not much loud
er than pistol shot. II came from
The soda house, but they knew its
deadly import and rushed from the
nearest exit. Before they could gain
the open, the very air seemed to
burst INTO hame, the earth heaved
and rocked. and with a roar heard
for miles, the long factory buildings
We're hurled high intextbe air, carry
ipg With them ponderons equipment
md scores or men. A great cloud of
dust and smoke settled over the scene,
and through Its deadly fumes, torn
and mangled forms dropped to the
Garth. many dead. hut others to meet
their end in flaming debris.
The explosion tore down wires
.tionf The Panhandle railroad and piled
debris high on the tracks An em-
pioye OF the company made his way
20 Carnegie, nearby and a wreck train
was Immediately sent out to clear the
line and repair the wires
The chemical company also made
uF relief train at Carnegie and hur-
rled it to Oakland. 1t carried doc
tors, nurses and surgical supplies
The physician in charge, ii was stat
ed, had instructions to report the loss
OF life at the earliest possible mo-
ment.
Immediately after the first explosion
the debris took fire and soon was
burning fiercely. Just before that
hour it was said there was another
explosion, but il did nothing more
than scatter the shattered remnants
OF the factory buildings
Not far from the destroyed plant is
an important pumping station of the
South Pennsylvania OIL Company, but
the company's offices in Pittsburg had
no report OF damage to it's property
other than that the windows had been
broken.
Another explosion occurred at 40
o'clock, this time a big tank filed
with an explosive known as T. n. A.
letting go. The debris was scattered
far and wide and II was reported
that a number of peaple in the great
crowd which stood on the hillside and
watched the burning pile. had been
hurt, but that no one had been killed.
\ detail of the state constabulary il
was stated, was on it's way from its |
station near Oakdale to take charge
of the situation.
Several hundred women from the |
villages OF Carnegie. Fort Pitt, Rem |
nerdale. Walkers Mills and Heidel- /
berg. all located near Oakdale, were !
gathered at traction line stations
waiting for cars to bring them to |
Pfttsburg, where they were to take /
part in the Red Cross parade this af-
ternoon when the explosion occurred. 1
They at once abandoned the parade
and under their leaders turned toward !,
Oakdale They could be seen on all the /
roads leading to the village. and i'm
after they reached the /
place they reported to the doctors and |
the authorities for relief work and |
were quickly pressed into service.
The driver OF grocery wagon half
4 mile from the scene of the explosion,
picked up one badly injured work
man and hurried with him to the near
est hospital.
Revised estimates of the number of
men employed when the explosion oc-
Cured place il at 400. Fully $50 of
-hese, IL was estimated. had been hurt
IN addition to the 100 killed.
- rf fr fh0
ast explosion at the plant was a nurse
who had one of her legs blown of
while acting as q stretcher bearer.
other persons were injured when a
luantity OF suIphurio acid which had
escaped from the plant and found its
way into a small stream was fred
~ sparks from the burning buildings.
Far off on a hill top fully rhalf a
nile from the scene OF the explosion
wo oil derricks were flaming high.
iigh, having been fired by flying
Iparks