South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-09-22
War CHEMICAL
REAPS TOLL In
RHINE VILLAGE
Gigantic Explosion Leaves
Wake of Dead and Injured,
Wrecking Town.
BUILDINGS DEMOLISHED
Huge Warehouse Containing
1000 Tons of War Product
Causes Tragedy.

MAYENCE. Germany. Sept. 21-
A great explosion today az the chem
ical products plant Of the Badische
Anilynfabrik company at Oppau. on
the Rhine, wrecked the town and
spread death and destruction on
Everv hand. The number of killed
Jvariously estimated at from 1000
ITO 1900. and the injured close to
1000. One report says that there
were 1900 men on the spot at the
moment Of the EXPLOSION and IL Is
believed that about half OF these
were killed
The town OF Oppau is a scene Of
utter desolation. more than a third
OF the houses having been COM
pletely destroyed. while the roofs OF
the others We're swept off as if BY
a whirlwind. Here also many were
killed or injured.
Monster Hole I'm Ground.
The explosion is attributed by
some to excess pressure in two ad-
Joining gasometres, the whole OF
this part OF the works being liter
ally pulverized. Where the gaso-
metres stood is now a funnel shaped
hole 100 yards wide and 40 yards
deep. while twisted girders and de-
bris OF every description lie scat
tered about For a distance OF sew
eral hundred yards not wall Is left
standing.
The directorate Of the company is
quoted as saying that the explosion
occurred in storehouse containing
4.000 tons Of nitrous sulphates'
which had previously been eXamin-
cd and vac believed TO be free from
danger OF EXPLOSION.
Trains Are Buried.
All the workmen's dwellings in
the vicinity were razed. At Mann
helm. on thl opposite side Of the
river. 50 persons were seriously in
5ured and 200 or more slightly in
5ured Ludwigschafen reports say
that three workmen's trains were
buried under the wreckage and
children on their way to
eNhool in that town were injured.
Hcart-reuding scenes were wit
messed on all sides. At the little
cemetery on the outskirts Of Oppau
there are already more than 200
bodies laid out on the grass. Num-
erous tombstones were lifted and
hurled in various directions by the
force OF the explosion. There was
not a door or window left intact for
radius OF three miles.
French medical units are aiding
fn the rescue work. Assistance also
has been rushed from all the neigh
boring towns. and all public and
private motor cars and vehicles
were requisitioned. The roads'lead-
ing 20 Oppau were soon crowded
with people making their way TO the
scene of the disaster
Troops Rush to Rescue.
\ regiment Of colonial infantry
and the First Madagascar regiment
from Ludwigshafen Immediately pro
ceeded 10 Oppau to preserve order
and aid in the work OF rescue. De-
sZ<bing the disaster. a captain Of
Tho first French colonial infantry.
who was an eye witness. said:
Il was riding close 10 the factory
at $50 in the morning when sud
denly I heard dull rumbIing The
earth seemed 10 CULVER and an inn
mense column OF flame and smoke
EECt Dn rev nunQTtQ NaEuo from
me. followed Immediately by an ex-
plosion and a rush OF air which hurl-
cd me and my horse 20 the earth
when 7 picked myself up an i'm
mense cloud Of dust and smoke hid
that part Of the factory near the
gasometers All sorts OF objects.
beams blocks. stones and bricks
rained down on the road
Thought IL Earthquake"
Hearing cries behind me I turned
and realized that the village Of GU
pau was destroyed as by an earth
quake. Shortly after. the main
buildings OF the plant burst into
flames and he air was filed with
the fumes OF ammonia Twenty
minutes after the first explosion there
was another. but less violent
The alarm was quickly given and
Il "A less than half an hour after the
49, explosion help arrived Unfor-
4 tINately. as further explosions were
feared. the rescue parties were not
able TO get 10 work properly before
s o'clock"
A. inquiry has been opened