The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1921-08-15
100000 BLAZE
IN PHILADELPHIA
-Four DEAD and Scores Hurt
al Big UiI Fire.
.FIREMER BATTLE FOR HOURS
Many Were Injured When Huge Oil
Tanks Explode, Setting the Plant
Afire

Many Were Injured When Huge Oil
Tanks Explode, Setting the Plant
Afire.
Philadelphia, Aug. 13.-Four men
were killed, two others are dying and
scores injured or burned in fire
which broke out in the Atlantic Rein
ing company plant of the Point Breeze
Oil Works
More than a million dollars worth
of damage has been done to the plant.
as five huge tanks, each containing
10000 barrels of oil. had been com
pletely destroyed, as well as four ''agi-
tator' tanks of 400O-barrel capacity.
three pump houses and several pipe
lines.
Throughout the twenty hours during
which the blaze has been sweeping ult-
checked, it has sent out vast volumes
IF dense black smoke which have been
carried by the winds II over South
Philadelphia and the southern part o.
West Philadelphia. Multitudes of peO-
pie from all parts of the city Kept the
streets iammed for many blocks around
the scene of the fire, but were kept at
Il distance by tta police.
Practically every piece of fire ap-
raratus in the city was summoned to
he blaze during The night and most
If the engines, trucks. fire boats ana
other equipment remained there
throughout the day. When several
all henl-o M l,rn ~ n
he town, the alarms had to be relaycd
Point Breeze and tir~d tiremen were
allied away from the oil plant to eN-
'in@uish them. only to return later to
he bigger blaze. A number of fire
nCn were not only overcome by smoke
nut dropped exhausted from their long
oil.
The fire broke out at 1920 A. NJ.
,ut no alarm was sent in until 1870.
wing to the policy of the company TO
,Xtinguish its own baZes. This mis-
axe of this policy was proved, the
,olice say. Ly the subsequent develop
nentS in the rapid spread of the fire.
The police of the Forty-tirSt district
heard +he explosion in the station
house and, knowing it could be nothing
Use than the oil works, sent a detail
1T once to the scene. who arrived be
fore an alarm was turned in. Subse
iuently five more alarms were struck.
Three of the men killed were en-
2loyeS of the Atlantic Refining com
pany. who were burned to deaIrSYgthe
explosion of the tanks. Bv a~curious
coincidence the fourth victim, a youth,
who lives next door To one of the men
killed in the plant, was run down and
killed by company ambulance which
was bringing nurses to the fire On the
street near the scene. He was on his
way to find out about his neighbor
The dead are: William Hanifan, 81
years, Norris street. died from burns ::
Hugh McClune, 80 years, 6152 Rein
hart street, died from burns; James
Mulhern, % years, j532 hardwood
avenue; Frank Jordan y years, $3.50
Reinhart street, was riding a motor
'ycle on Passyunk avenue when he was
struck by an ambulance Died at St.
Agnes Hospital.
Probably fatally injured are: Thom-
Us MCNItLlt, Ot StolH, anu " iiiitli
Clisdell, 66 years old. Clisdell has been
n the employ of the oil works for 43
years, and the company had just grant
I'd him pension, 10 take effect this
week, few hours before he suffered
The burns; which will most likely prove
fatal.
At least twenty-five Others were
-, Anpac,'
Hospitals, and returned 20 the scene
Of the tire after having their injuries
dressed. Fifty more were treated at
the fire by physicians attached to the
ambulances.