News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1921-09-28
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
Bodische Company Officials Believe
Gas Generator Burst in Room
Where 300 Worked - French
Physicians Go to Ruscue.
SHOCK FELT FOR so MILES

PipSloA at tlle CuelHlCdl pIOuuClS pldhI
Of the Bodische Aniinfabrik Company
at Oppau, on the Rhine wrecked tie
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 Of
utter destruction, more than a third
of the houses having been completely
destroyed, while the roofs of the 9TH
ers were swept off as If by 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 pulverlzed.
Where the gasometers stood is now
funnel-shaped hole 1870 yards wide and
forty-tiye yards deep, while twisted
Orders and debris of every description
lie scattered about. For a distance Of
several hundred yards not a wall is
left standing.
The directorate of the company Is
quoted as saying that the explosion
occurred in EtorehOuSe containing
1000 tons of nitrous sulphates, which
had previously been examined AMI
were believed to be free from danger
of explosion.
All the workmen's dwellings in the
vicinity were RACED
AT Mannheim, ca the opposite bank
Of the river, thirty-fve persons were
seriously Injured and two hundred or
more slightly Injured. Ludwlgschafen
reports say that three workmen's
trains were buried under the wreckage
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 di.
rections by the fo.ce 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 puht;c and private mo-
tor cars and vehicles have been re-
quisitiuaed.
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. SO of the old plant, which was
lifted bodily by the force of the blast
and then dropped back to earth, killing
the 500 men employed in the building
at that time. Not a single worker
there escaped death, according to one.
report Other explosions followed in
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 at
thirteen miles distant, all
most every window was shattered.
Many roofs were blown off houses
md all the windows in the town were
broken at Worms. The shock was felt
rs far as Frankfort. more than forty
niles away, and many windows were
broken there. ...
The whole district was enY"lcned in r
hick smoke, which. together with the
'utting of telegraph and telephone
with neiglhoring
owns, hampered the efforts at assist.
nee
All the available fire brigade> were
ushed TO the spot, hut the work of
escue was found bv the relief parties
o be exceedingly difficult.
A regiment of Colonial infantry and
he First Madagascar Regiment from
Immediately proceeded
D Oppau to preserve order and aid in e.
he work of rescue.
A dispatch says that all the MEM
ers of party of French soldiers on
uard duty at the Oppau wo'.'-s were
illed and that a number oF french
oldiers aboard a French tranSpr.t I'M
,ading in Mannheim harbOr were in.
lred
The dispatch adds that the old pail
re in Mannheim was badly damaged9
nd that the National Theater vas
andered unsafe