Cavalier County farmers press. (Langdon, N.D.) 1920-1921, 1921-08-04
Pedestrians Hurt When Flames
Spread Through Sewers
Causing Explosions
STORES ARE WRECKED
Flames Squirt High in Air When Heavy
ManhoIe Covers Are Hurled Into
Curious Throngs-DemoIished
Business Places Looted.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS persons
are near death and more than 60 Others
are seriously injured as the result of a
series of sewer gas blasts in the heart
of the Minneapolis downtown shopping
district early Sunday.
There We're seven explosions, over an
area OF several blocks, which ripped up
the streets and demolished several
stores. causing heavy losses to stocks
and buildings in a score of others.
Big Store in Flames.
Fire department officials who at first
feared that flames which broke out in
the big Donaldson department. store
might spread over the downtown dis
trict. said that the explosions were due
to sewer gas ignited by short circuits
in electric power wires in underground
conduits.
With the first blast scores of persons
rushed to scene despite the efforts Of
the police to clear the streets, and it
was these who We're injured in the sub
sequent explosions which occurred be-
meath their very feet.
Men in the crowd finally assisted
police and firemen in forming a fire
line. Hardly had the crowd been driven
away from the blazing manholes, how
ever, when a second explosion, across
the street, in front of the United Cigar
store, wrecked that store and injured
more than a score of men and women.
Mob PilIages Store.
Eyewitnesses said that great. guam
titles of merchandise were carried off
by a mob which, taking advantage Of
the excitement, swarmed into the
wrecked cigar store.
One man standing near a manhole
when the top blew out was thrown
several feet and severely bruised. Two
other men standing near were thrown
down by the force of the explosion and
fell into the manhole, from which
flames We're shooting, as in the case of
The. earlier explosions. Firemen rushed.
% their rescue and they wefe pulled.
out before being seriously burned.
The third explosion occurred half
way up the block on Nicollet avenue.
The manhole in front of the Stiles
building at this number. caused prop
erty destruction, but no one was in
jured. the crowd by this time being
kept away by fire lines established at
Fifth street and Seventh street.
The Stiles building is a five-story
structure. with jewelry stores on the
first floor and offices above.
STOCKS Blown in Street.
Every window in the building from
the first floor to the roof was blown
out. glass falling into the street. The
stocks of the Weld & Sons .iewelry store
and that of the Joseph FL. Green jew
elry store We're blown into the street.
Fear was expressed by firemen and
police that the fire would spread
through the entire Sewer system of the
city. but at a late hour it seemed to
have confined itself to the downtown
district. Fire Chief c. w. Ringer said
the fire department vas powerless to
stop the flames. The electric light and
power currents finally were shut off in
the hope that further explosions might
be prevented.
Similar Blasts IS Years Ago.
Fifteen years ago a similar explosion.
occurred and fire spread through the
entire W system, causing great
DANCE.