New-York tribune., 1921-07-20
Asphalt Fire
Burns On; Loss
Is $1,000
Shift in Wind Fans Dying
Blaze and Drives Flames
TO One of Remaining Res
ervoirs. Causing Blast
Flaming Fluid Drained
Destruction Includes 40 Oil.
Is Asphalt and II Case
line Tanks of Jersey Plant

LINDEN. n. J. July 1e-A sudden
shift in the wind shortly after o'clock
This afternoon carried burning oil from
the WsrnerQuinlan asphalt plant here,
which has been blazing unchecked for
more than twenty-four hours. to the
last group of oil containers now stand
ing on the asphalt company's third
sye-acre plot. This resulted in the ex-
posion of one tank of gasoline. BY
Using fire extinguishers firemen sue
seeded in saving the last of thirty
four oil tanks, which stands in the
mdst OF this group.
It was announced by fremen tonight
that the blaze probably would burn
itself out some time tomorrow. No
sscial estimate of the damage has
been announced officially, but the loss
has been estimated as high as $3,000,-
800 This estimate includes the de-
struction of eighteen asphalt tanks,
sixteen crude oil stills, thirty-three oil
tanks and twelve gasoline tanks.
Brick Structures DESTROYED
The brick structures swept and de-
stroyed by the burning oil include
two-story Office building and admins
tration building, the chemical and
physical research laboratory of the
plant the power house, drum shop and
tool shop. The wooden dock was
burned to the waters edge and six
tank cars on the railroad siding were
destroyed.
The sudden shift in the wind this
60
which the fire fighters received to-day
after the blaze was declared to be un-
der control late last night
Shortly after 2:3o O'Clock this morn
ing, huge asphalt tank exploded.
This was followed by the explosion of
six smaller tanks of high test gasoline,
and caused the precipitate abandon
ment of all attempts to fight the fire.
Fire Volunteers Flee
More than one hundred members of
the volunteer fire departments of Lin
den and Railway and plant employees
who were still trying vainly to save a
part of the 100000 barrels of oil stored
IN the tanks or circulating through the
stills abandoned their positions and
suited in the loss of 5000 feet of fire
hose. A moment later fire attacked a
huge tank. opened up her seams and
sent more than 10000 barrels of burn
ing asphalt skyward.
BY noon to-day, only company en-
ployees were fighting the fire with
equipment and chemicals borrowed
largely from the Standard Oil Company
plant They were engaged in an effort
to check the spread of the flames on
the west side of the railroad tracks.
The company's employees were pouring
such streams of water on three tanks
located in this area as they could COM
mand
after o'clock this afternoon. was
confined to the western strip of the
company's property, the entire acreage
Of the plant continued burning, smok-
ing ruin throughout.
twenty-niile breeze sprang up from
the southwest shortly after 2 o'clock.
At 3 o'clock the direction changed
suddenly and in spite of all efforts of
the employees of the company the
burning oil began to flow over the third
ef the fve-acre plots of the asphalt
Flames May Subside To-day
/ The volunteer fremen were success
ial in their efforts to drain the oil from
one of the larger tanks IN this area,
but the flames ignited another of the
full tanks and in few minutes it was
consumed and the burning oil spread
aYer the marshlands for an area of
seven acres
A deep, wide trench has been dug
directly in the path of the burning oil,
Fhich it is expected will be effective
h checking the fire. 1t was reported
M-night that there was little danger of
airenewed outbreak and that the fire
would probably burn itself out to-mor-
Few. Some of the fremen. however,
oppressed the belief that the oil now
covering the company's ground and
surrounding marshes would be burning
ior three days more.