The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-01-25
GASOLINE BLAST
IS FATAL TO TEN
Score Also Injured in Bx-
plosion at Memphis;
All Dead Negroes.
SHAKES WHOLE CITY
Block of Frame Buildings
; Leveled; Big Oil Plant De-
troyed by the Crash.

MEMPHIS, Tenn, Jan. 2i-Tcn
negroes dead, approximately a score
injured. some probably fatally. and
propcr,y damage estimated at 5000, -
600 made up the known toll tonight
of an explosion of "Casinghcad"
gasoline awaiting unloading from a
tank car to the plant OF the Coll
var Reese company in North Mem
pbis which let go this morning with
bias, that wrecked a part Of the
oil plant, lcvclcd "A block Of frame
dwellings and shook the entire
north end Of the city.
Of the injured two arc white per-
yons-L. {. Scott, superintendent Of
the Reese plant and l.. G. wilder,
truck supcrintendent. Both were
badly burned, but physicians stated
tonight they will recover,
Cu'yar Reese, president of the oil
company attributed the explosion
10 spontaneous combustion due to
the contact Of vapor escaping from
the tank car when the metallic oap
was removed preparatory to un-
loading the car, came In contact
with the atmosphere.
car of Oklahoma Gasoline.
The tank car, which contained
5000 gallons Of casinghead gaso-
, line, produced by tho absorption
process, was shipped here from
Kellyyillc, OKLA, Mr.. Reese stated
and was loaded In a low tempera-
,urc. when the cap was removed,
according to this theory. the vapor
came in contact with much higher
atmospheric conditions here and the
explosion followed. II was stated
that repress of the United
States bureau of explosives and ox-
pertH from the refinery from which
Inc car was shipped win arrive to-
morrow to definitely determine the
cause Of the blast.
Levels an Entire Block.
when the explosion let go a row
Of frame tenement houses along an
entire block were splinterod and the
occupants blown to the streets or
caught under the falling timbers.
Most OF those killed outright were
badly manslcd while several of the
injured were so badly burned that
they died aoon after reaching
hospital. When policemen and fire
men reached the scene the streets
and alleys in the vicinity were lit
tered with splinterod timbcrs and
torn and twisted household goods. !
with the dead and injured caught in |
the tangled mass OF wrcckagc
Gas Cloud Ignitcd.
Andrew Mckinley, the negro who |
was removing the dome from the |
tank car when the explosion oc- |
oIrrsl was hurled several hundred |
feet through the air. lie was badly |
burned and died tonight. Mckinley |
was quoted as saying that. when he |
removed the cap, gas rose TO "A |
height Of 20 feet and formed a pail |
OF black smoke which ignitcd and |
exploded, Almost simultaneously |
pools OF oil on the ground caught |
fire and a second explosion occurred. |
one report was that Mckinley used |
Chiscl in attempts to remove the |
cap from tho car. This, however, |
has not been verified Mr. Reese .
stated that his investigation dis /.
proved any theory other than that /
the explosion was caused by spOn- /
uneous combustion.
Fire Completes the Work.
Besides the damage in the inn
mediate vicinity window glass
within radius of several blocks
'' '''"N .'l'u ny lu' tpntlSSlNn ]
winch was felt distance of half a .
MIL" from the scene. TWN sheds. :,
t the plant OF the Colyar Reese
pant were lifted bodily from their
ioundauons and fen in heap.
flre wrich followed i'm tho wake
ol inc explosion completed tho work
ol destruction. The flames were I
'herhed, however. before they
spread beyond the splintercd wreck
age uf the ill-fatcd dwellings.