Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-09-22
Oppau Chemical Plant
Is Destroyed by Blast;
Thousands Are Injured
Laboratory Raised Bodily by the Air Pressure
From the Shock and Then Collapsed; Not
Single Worker Escapes.

Mayence, Germany Sept 21-(By The Associated Press
Twelve hundred reported have been killed
injured Wednesday by explosions the Badsche Ann
abk works at Oppau Frankenha in the Rhine Pala-
tnate
The disaster appears Of the terrible
in the history of industrial catastrophies
changed at 7:45 in laboratory where 800
ing All of these are reported to have been killed:
This explosion followed by rapid of Others
which rendered assistance the first victims impossible
The conclusions terrific that they felt this
city, IS miles from the scene while Mannheim miles
distant almost every window shattered per-
sons killed and 36 others injured by debris
Some persons were killed at Ludwigshafen the
from Mannheim many blown off houses and all
the windows in the town broken Worms while Oppau
itself nothing remains but a heap of ruins
The shock felt far Frankfort than miles
away, and many windows were broken there.
The whole district enveloped in thick smoke which,
gether with the cutting telegraph telephone comunica
ton with neghbong towns hampered the efforts at assist
All of the available airpanes were rushed to the spot but
the work Of found by the relief parties to be
ceedingly difficult.
Rescues penetrating Oppau reported finding the dead and
wounded lying the debris The unnured inhabitants fled in
Reports far varousy describe the disaster due
explosion of spirits tank
One the reports of the disaster says
the first explosion laboratory the plant
The laboratory was raised bodily by the air pressure from
the shock and then collapsed single of the 800 workers
in it escaping death, this account states.
The directorate of the quoted saying that the
explosion occurred IN store house containing 1000
nitrous supates which believed to be free from danger
explosion
the river 5 seriously injured 200 or
slightly injured At Ludwgshafen reports saw three
Woren trains buried under the wreckage and many
children injured.
Heart rendlng Witnessed At the little ceme-
terry Oppau there than 200 bodies grass
Numerous ombstones hurled in directions There
not door window left intact radius of three
m1es
FrenSS medical units aiding in the work Asss
tance also has been rushed from neghborng
public and private motor and vehicles requsoned
regiment of colonial infantry and the first Madagascar
regiment from Ludwighafen Immediately proceeded Oppau
to preserve order and aid in the work of rescue.
Describing the disaster captain of the first French colon
ial infantry said:
Il riding close to the factory at the morning
when heard dull rumbng The earth seemed to culver and
immense column of flame and smoke shot hundred
yards from me, followed Immediately by explosion and
rush of air which hurled and horse the earth When
picked myself cloud of dust and that
part of the factory the gasomeers All of objects
rained down the road
Hearing cries behind turned and realized that the viii
OF Oppau destroyed by earthquake Shortly
ter main buildings of the plant burst into flames and the
was filled with ammonia fumes Twenty minutes after the
first blast, there another but less violent.
The alarm quickly given and in less half an hour
help arrived Unfortunately further explosions were fear
the parties able get work properly be-
fore O'clock"
late statement issued by the management of the Oppau
factory that the explosion occurred contain
200 tons of ammonium suphate 1t adds that all
precautions had been taken that explosion appeared i'm
possible.
An inquiry has been opened
Two Oil Indications Jurv IL Picked i