Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-02-21

q Portsuso1th, Va, Feb. n .-Ac-
cording to q message ,Fecctyed ,St
The nava1 hospital a; 1south
at 3:f5 p. m, 38 men ON board
tho Roma were killed Al. that
hour twelve bodies had been tax.
en- from the wreck2ge
Department NotiAed
Washington, Feb. q. 21-Tho
navy department was notified OF |.
the disaster I'm the following !
telegram from the naval author
tiles at Norfolk:
'Arny diHsible Roma caught
fire and fell to ground near Army
base, Norfolk about 2:1O p. M; .
SIS persons reported dead ont OF
SO aboard" !
Immediately on receipt Of tho
official dispatch, Major General !
Patrick, director of the air serv-
ice, left by aiFplane for Langley
Field.
Washington, Feb. 21.-F11st of. |;
fetal word OF the disaster to the
army air ship ROM to reach the
war department from Langley !
Field said herel~ that the ship
had fallen at Hampton Roads
about p. m, and that the Aead
authorities had NO detatls of the
accident
Norfolk, Va, Feb. 21.-The army
dirigible Roma, purchased by the
United States government from Italy
and only recently commissioned, was
destroyed by an explosion today " hilo
operating over the Hampton Roads
naval base. The big aircraft, believ-
ed to be carrying a number of pas
landed in amesf near the
naval base. Soon after she fell four
men were taken off alive.
The heat of the flames was 50 in
tense that those near where the craft
fell were unable to approach. The
four men rescued we're badly burned.
The Roma which was the largest
semi-rigid airship in the world, was
sailing in a southeasterly direction
when, according to observers, she
suddenly burst into flames and fell
like a comet to the earth. The 'ex-
plosion occurred shortly after TIVE
o'clock.
Plunged and Exploded
Reports from Portsmouth. which
is near the naval base, said the Roma
after a slanting plunge of hundreds
of feet, struck one Of the barracks
buildings at the base and then ex-
ploded with a ripping crash. A sheet
Of flames leaped from the rent in the
gas bag and the passenger compart-
1nents slung underneath dropped to
the ground below.
said there were Fl men in the official
crew of the ai1Ship and 80 or 40 pas
sengers and enlisted men aboard. One
man was seen by observers at the
Standard Oil company plant at Sc
wells Point to jump from the ship
while she still was several hundred
feet in the air.
Many Took Flying Leaps
Fourteen, according to other OBJ
servers at Portsmouth, were seen to
leap from the shin as it became ap-
parent that she would strike one OF
the naval base barracks build ,nEE.
Some, it was reported. clung to para
chutes while others jumped straight
chance in that manner rather than
staying aboard the blazing ship.
Burning Like . Furnace
Witnesses at the scene Of the burn.
ing ship said at O'Clock when she
still was burning like a furnace that
fully half dozen men, were pinned
beneath the wreckage. The body OF
one man had been removed up 70
that time. rs. 5sls 4. j 4 sss "A i
The Roma was betwesn SOC and
1000 feet in the air when she fsIl.
officers at the Hampton Roads naval
base stated. Some OF the pas1anGe1S
hurt, though 81 were shaksn %. ~
number Of the men jumped froan che
cars Of the Roma ~ shes fell OtheE1
were caught under her aAd theoe, q
Il believed, wers kiIssd alimoa m
SANITY 5 ~ ss Il