The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1920-01-17
MEN CAUGHT
IN FLOOD Of
BLAZING OIL
At REFINERY
Many in Hospital Suffering
from Burns and Other
Injuries.


-Four men we're burned t.
death by boiling oil and
about fifteen others were IN
JIred yesterday afternoon.
about 2:30 when a coke still
exploded at the plant of the
Sinclair Oil Refining Com
pany in East Chicago. The
shock of the explosion was
noticeable in East Chica
90 and Whiting and was felt
by some as far away as Ham
mond.
THE DEAD.
Andrew Bodney. Fischrupp ave-
nue. Whiting.
Hugh Gibson. Chicago.
John Hornak, 46Oe Todd avenue.
East Chicago.
Albert Gruening, I5I Logan
street, Hammond
THE INJURED.
John McFadden. south Chicago
Nick Taylor. Whiting.
walter oliver. Whiting.
Lowell Cook, whiting
6. ". Miller. Roberf.daIe.
l. ". Wolfe. Wh8tsnr
Fred PnvEsh. Whiting.
Fred Roxich, Whiting.
Dan 0bet~on. Whiting
Joe De vardnin. whiting
l.. II. Wolfe. whiting.
De Nardnfs and Wolfe were
able TO return home after recejv-
ing treatment for minor Injuries
WITHOUT WARNING.
The explosion came without warning
shortly after the stilT had been put intc
operation and gave the workuaen ~
opportunity to escape from the shou
ct OF boiling oil which was scattered
for yards in the neighborhood Of the
still Hugh Gibson. = brick foreman n.
employed by the Leonard ConStrIr-
tion company IN making repairs u ~
working on the foundation Of the sta
and was drenched with the boiling
His Identification card which dropped
from his pocket and in some name
escaped the flames was the means Or
identifying what remained when fhs
flames had been checked
CAUSE UNCERTAIN.
The still had not been in operation
during the morning. having beer
closed for cleaning out the coke il
Sc
which was loosened lodged IN one II
the pipes and vas the cause Of th-
high pressure which forced the crd
of the tank. Another possible cats-
is the belief that some workman faiI.
ed 10 close : cock while the tank w. =
being filled with oil and the air e.
terins before the steam was exnelled
caused the explosion. Those in fro1
Of the still were drenched with tie
hot oil and others near were struck hg
falling timoers and girders.
FIGHT FLAMES TWO HOURS
Almost two hours were required be
fore the company fire fighters err
able TO check the flames and search
could be started for the bodies Of th=
victims. Andrew Rodney. stiIlman.
was found under the header OF the
tank which weighs about two tons Ii
is believed that h. was killed BY the
blow and died before the flames
started.
IDENTIFICATION DIFFICULT.
Identification Of the dead was esta6-
lished only by q process of elimination
and il other workmen are later report
Sd missing much difficulty may be en-
countered in Identifying two OF ths
dead bodies which are charred beyond
all hope of recognition. The seven IN
jured men IN St. Margaret's hospital
are badly burned but they are all eN-
pected to recover. Four OF the injur
ed were allowed to leave the hospital
and return to their homes In Whiting
after receiving medical attention.
Two boilermakers who were work
ing in the adjacent still at the time
Of the explosion were blocked in and
dug their way out. crawling out OF the
still lalmost two hours after the ex-
plosion occurred.
FUNERAL TUESDAY.
Albert Grueninger Of 151 Logan St..
Hammond, was thirty-one years old and
leaves wife and step-daughter. Miss
Christina Goodwin. He was employ ed
as a boilermakcr at the plant The body
has been taken to the home Of his
mother, Mrs Emma Grueninger, 1925
Avenue NJ south Chicago. where the
funeral VIII be held Tuesday afternoon
at ? O'Clock Local 429 cf the Boiler
makers Union and South Chicago Aerie
No. 1858 Of the Order Of Eagles will par
ticipate in the services Burial will be
in Oak Hill cemetery at Hammond. Mr.
Cirueuinger also leaves two brothers
William and Edward. OF south Chicago
and two sisters. Mrs. Albert Wesncr anu
Mrs. Fred Zart
IDENTIFIED By WATCH.
Andrew Bodney. IS. of Whiting was
Identified by his watch, which was found
on the charrcd hodv. IN its case q nLc-