Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1921-10-01
1000 TO 1900 Die
IN GERMAN BLAST
Two Thousand Others Injured in
Dye Works Wreck and Town
of 0ppau Almost Destroyed.
SHOCK FELT FOR so MILES
Bodlsche Company officials Believe
Gas Generator Burst in Room
Where 300 Worked - French
Physicians Go to Ruseue.

Mayence, Germany. - A great er.
plosion at the chemical products plant
of the Bodische Anilinfabrik Company
at Oppau, on the Rhine wrecked the
town and spread death and destruction
on every hand. The number of killed
Is variously estimated at from one
thousand to fifteen hundred and the
injured close to two thousand. One
report says that there were three thou
sand men on the spot at the moment
Of the explosion, and it is believed
that about half of these were killed.
The town Of Oppau is a scene CT
utter DESTRUCTION, more than third
of the houses having been completely
destroyed, while the roofs of the 9th
ers were swept off as If by a whirl-
wind. Here also many were killed or
injured.
The explosion Is attributed by some
TO excess pressure in two adjoining
gasometers, the whole Of this part Of
the works being literally pulverized
Where the gasOmeters stood Is now q
funnel-shaped hole 100 yards wide and
forty-five yards deep; while twisted
Orders and debris of every description
lie scattered about. For a distance of
several hundred yards not wall is
left standing.
The directorate of the company Is
quoted as saying that the explosion
occurred in storehouse containing
1000 tons Of nitrous sulphates, which
had previously been examined and
were believed to be free from danger
of explosion.
All the workmen's dwellings in the
vicinity were RACED.
AT Mannheim, on the opposite bank
of the river, thirty-flve persons were
seriously injured and two hundred or
more slightly injured Ludwigschafen
reports say that three workmen's
trains were buried under the wreckaga
and many children on their way to
school In that town were injured.
Heartrending scenes were witnessed
on all sides At the little cemetery
on the outskirts Of Oppau there are
already more than 200 bodies laid out
on the grass. Numerous tombstones
were lifted and hurled in various d.
rections by the force of the explosion.
There was not door or window left
intact for radius Of three miles,
French medical units are aiding in
the rescue work. Assistance also has
been rushed from all the neighboring
towns and all public and private mo-
tor cars and vehicles have been re-
Questioned
The roads leading to Oppau were
soon crowded with people making
their way to the scene Of the disaster.
The explosion occurred just as shifts
were being changed at Z AS o'clock in
the morning.
The first explosion came in labora-
tory No. 80 of the old plant, which was
lifted bodily by the force Of the blast
and then dropped back to earth, killing
the 800 men employed in the building
Mt that time. Not single worker
there escaped death, according to one
quick succession, rendering assistance
to the first victims impossible.
The conclusions were so terrific that
they were felt In this city, some thirty
five miles from the scene, while Mt
Mannheim. thirteen miles distant, al
most every window was shattered.
Many roofs were blown off houses
and all the windows in the town were
broken at Worms. Ehe shock was felt
as far as Frankfort, more than forty
miles away, and many windows were
broken there.
The whole district was enveloped in
thick smoke, which, together with the
cutting of telegraph and telephone
communication with neighboring
towns, hampered the efforts at assist
ance.
All the available fire brigades were
rushed to the spot, but the work of
rescue was found by the relief parties
to be exceedingly difficult.
A regiment Of Colonial infantry and
the First Madagascar Regiment from
Ludwigshafen Immediately proceeded
to Oppau to preserve order and aid in
the work Of rescue.
A dispatch says that all the mem
bers of party Of French soldiers on
guard duty at the Oppau works were
killed and that number of French
soldiers aboard French transport I'M
loading in Mannheim harbor were in
jured.
The dispatch adds that the old pal
ace in Mannheim was badly damaged |
and that the National Theater was
rendered unsafe.
A Remarkable Record