Evening star., 1921-09-22
$50 BODIES FOUND
NRU|Ns.A|'T 0|PPlE;''
DEATH I()LI,1,9)D
Rescuers Forced to Use Gas
Masks to Penetrate Clouds
Of Fumes. =.
$500 INJURED TREATED;
GAS EXPERIMENT BLAMED
Deadly Smoke, Swept Over Nearby
Towns, Spreads Alarm
Among People.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press
MAYENCE. September 22.-Whil,
estimates of the number of dead from
Wednesdays explosion which destroy
ed the Badische companyet great
chemical plant at oppau continued to-
day at approximately 1900. the total
of persons actually found to- haye
been injured exceeds the hrst figures
by wide margin.
Already 1850 persons, have re,
ceived treatment for hurts sustained
through the effects OF, the explosion.
Bodies Of the dead to the number
of $50 had been recovered this fore
The French and German authori-
ties In the district were continuing
the rescue work today In the closest
collaboration. A German hospital
train has arrived at Frankfort and q
French train at Treves with injured
Troops Aid velunteers.. :.
French troops ana volunteer work.
ers toiled through the night in the
ruins. Oppau was virtually swept
away, and the explosion hurled desc
lation over q wide district on the
west bank Of the Rhine between
Mannheim and Frankenthal.
The scene of the explosion was
more than three miles> from Mann
helm. but every window of that city
was shattered by the concussion. The
shock was felt In towns nifty miles
away.
There were hundreds of workmen
at or near the tl-fated plant at
1880 o'clock, when the explosion oc-
CURED. and there were wild rumore
regarding the loss of life yesterday
and last night. These could not be
confirmed. out 1t appeared certain
that the casualty list would be ap-
palling.
Immediately after the blast every
means of rescuing injured and bring
ing out the dead were utilized, bui
several minor explosions. prevented
workers from entering the grounds
for : long tima. Great clouds OF
sss sesas'sa 9 s. IN sSf ~ ssa 81 sss ~ sss 9
.ntsf :the. pl.fe sI s2l 3 .assa g g
fs fsn. .sa ans 81 ssssa se sssss
of the frightened people. 3. 3.
Little for lnvestigation. -
An Investigation of ths expitSit0
has been ordered by the authorized.
but those who have visited the Tutns
declare there is little upon which .
finding can be based. The build Inf
of the Badische company have dtsap.
peared and only a great hole in the
ground marks the site Of the maiV
structure. 1t is a theory of these
familiar with the plant that at least
two gasometers exploded, and that
nitrogen compounds stored in the
buildings. or in process OF manufac-
ture, were detonated. Nitrogen prod
ucts are unstable as rule. and i
was relatively light, set of great
masses of chemical. Another theory
is that a nitrogen tank let go, and
that four others were set of by the
concussion.
Soldiers Maintain Order. a.,
Order is being maintained in the
town of Oppau and vicinity by French
soldiers. that district being within
the French zone OF occupation. The
base of the French forces in that re-
gion is at Ludwigshafen, on the west
bank of the Rhine. from which place
the, troops were rushed to the scene
of the disaster.
This is the second time that oppau
has been destroyed. In 1881 a dam
burst above the-town and the place
was swept by a wall Of water.
zen. DeSOutle,' IN command OIL
French forces Of occupation, went
from this city to Oppau, and immedi-
ateiy sent for the sanitary staff of
the army on the Rhine. He has or
ganized kitchens to feed the fam
lilies of victims Of the disaster, and
the high commissioners have given
$4,000 marks to the workers syndi-
cate to alleviate distress.
GAS TEST Is BLAMED.