Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-09-03
HUGE AIRSHIP
DESTROYED BY
BLAST 3 DIE
Eighteen of u. S. Crew on Diriui-
bic ZR-2 Perish in Disaster
Near Hull, England.
CRAFT PLuNGES INTO RIVER
Commander Louis n. maxfield. Who
Had Charge of Machine, Is Among
the Deao-Huge Snip Breaks in
Two After Exploslon-Most
OF Victims Burned TO Death.

London, Aug. 26. The United
States airship ZR-2. the largest air
craft in the world, and valued at 81
OO0OOo, plunged into the River Hum
Der, near Hull, England, after being
wrecked by an explosion. Eighteen OF
the twenty-one Americans who were
to pilot her across the Atlantic to the
United States, are believed to have
persisted
OF the 40 officers and enlisted men
in the huge dirigible's crew, 3 Of
whom We're British, all but six lost
their lives when the ship exploded
over the city Of HUI at six o'clock in
the evening.
Twelve bodies have been recovered,
among them that of Commander
Louis II. Maxfeld Of Washington. D.
C., who was in command of the ZR-2.
Cause of Blast Unknown.
Air Commodore Maitland Of the
British air forces. who plloted the
dirigble and was Britain's foremost
pilot, also was killed.
None of the six survivors has been
able to advance a theory of the cause
Of the disaster. The ZR-2 had been
in the air 80 hours on her trial flight.
The dirigible was floating easily over
Hull in plain sight of thousands of
people on the streets, when suddenly
the crowds saw a flash and heard a
tremendous explosion.
Ship PIunges Into River.
The conclusion shook buildings and
broke windows in Hull The airship
burst into flames and appeared to
break in two. While the panic-stricken
populace rushed TO and fro to escape
the debris, the 70O-foUt bag, laden
with heavy engines, great gasoline
tanks and cabin equipment, plunged.
burning, into the river.
As it touched the water. another
explosion occurred. Many of the vic
tins were burned to death after the
balloon fell. Eyewitnesses saw at
least four men leap in parachutes.
The six rescued were all delirious.
A description Of the ZR-2 disaster
was given by James Phipson of Birm-
ingham, an eyewitness
II was Just opposite Victoria pier
when 1t happened" said Phipson.
could see the propeHers turning
slowly as the ship disappeared into
a cloud bank.
Airship Breaks in TWO.
THE airship seemed to stand still
for a second or two as the two pieces
gradually broke apart. descending
slowly, the nose portion at first seem
ingly under control.
Then l saw portions of the gon-
dolas falling away. The nose portion
fell on a mud bank in the Humber,
which was at low tide. After bury
ing its nose in the sand that portion
of the ship continued to burn fiercely.
There was no sign OF any one on
that part OF the ship
''The tail end fell in the middle OF
the river half a mile away and was
also blazing.
Three Drop in Parachute.
when the nose landed there were
two further explosions. The gasoline
tanks burst with the impact.
81 saw three parachutes leave the
front part of the ship as it broke. It
looked to me as if three men were
hanging to one Of the parachutes,
but I could not see where they landed
AS far as 1 know only two men sur
vived. They were Mechanic Bateman
and Lieut.. A. H. Wann, who COM
handed the ship. / saw Lieutenant
Esterly's body taken away. 1t was
all burned and charred. Wann was
terribly injured, but Bateman was able
TO walk. Both Wann and Bateman
were rescued from the wreckage in
the Humber"
Planned Flight to U. S.
The ZR-2 was to have left Pullman
for the United States within ten or
twelve days.
The dirieIbIe cost 100000. In adj
dltion the United States government
expended 100000 III tile construc-
ton of ii huge hangar near Lakehurst.
y. J., and in sending q crew to Eng
land to bring tile dirigible home.
More than a month ago a gfrder Of
the ZE-2 buckled on a trial trip, and
the snip was laid up for repairs.
Frequent delays since then have in
terfered with intended flights.