The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-24
Spark From ChiseI ExplOdes
Whole Tank Gasoline.
Whole Section of Memphis
Threatened by Blaze.
BODIES WERE TORN TO PIECES
Whole Block of Poorer Homes
Is Leveled.
Fire Brought Under Control
After Hard Fight.

Memphis. Tenn, Jan. GA spark
from the chisel of a workman today
caused the terrific explosion which
resulted in great loss of life and prop
erty here.
The laborer was working on a tank
containing $4,000 gallons of gasoline
which first blew up. No trace of the
man has been found.
Twenty-Five Killed.
At least twenty five persons, most
OF them negroes. were killed, accord"
ing to police estimates. and fifty or
more injured by the explosion. The
tank was part of the Colyar-Reese
company property here.
The explosion tore to splinters a
row Of frame dwellings at Front and
Looney streets. shattered windows
within a radius of fifteen blocks and
shook the entire north end of the city.
Fire Now Under Control.
The resultant fire which. for a time.
threatened to spread to gas plant
and several nearby manufacturing
concerns was checked before it
gained headway.
Two workers on the exploding tank
were torn to bits, while a third es-
capped practically unscathed. Virtual
ly all of the destroyed houses were oc-
cupied by negroes.
The fire was brought under control
before it read beyond the dwellings
in the immediate vicinity of the blast.
Every ambulance in the city was
rescue parties were formed to aid the
police in removing the dead and in
jured.
A row of tenement houses. a block
in length, all of frame construction.
were levelled-by the force of the ex-
al lii f110
cupants.
Bodies Torn to Pieces.
Ten bodies torn almost beyong rec
oguition were removed within a few
minutes and every ambulance in the
city was summoned to remove the in
jul ed to hospitals.
In all, fifty persons were given
treatment. Many of these were seri-
ously hurt. Others, bruised and cut
by glass, were given treatment by
physicians at the scene. While the
police estimates the dead at about
twenty-five, the toll of the fatalities,
il was said several hours after the ex-
plosion. may be larger. when a COM
plete check is made of the occupants
of the dwellings and exploration of
the ruins is possible.
Baby Was First Victim.
The filling station where the explo-
sion occurred was not badly damaged
On one side was huge brlck and
concre pumping station which alb
sorbed the force of the blast. Win
dows We're tom out but otherwise the
building was not damager. The block
south of tho one where the worst
havoc was wrought. is unoccupied.
That an even greater death toll was
not taken was attributed to the fact
that many of the occupants of the ill
fated dwellings had left for their work
The first bodies found were of a
negro woman and a baby. These were
a short distance from their home
while scattered over a radius of a
block or more were other bodies.
Early estimates of the property
damage indicated thf it would not ex-
ceed $150.000.
One of the injured brought to the
general hospital was an unidentified
negro boy who. after being hurled into
the air, fell into a near bayou with
both legs broken.
An hour after the first explosion a
second tank car blew off its top and
sent the crowds scurryinG to shelter.
Beyond wrecking the car this blast
caused only small damage.