The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1922-02-25
BIGGEST D|R|G|BLE
IN WORLD FALLS
Takes Fire and 80 Out of 40
Odd Passengers Are Burned
To Death


Norfolk, Va, Feb. 21.-Exploding
after crashing downward during a
trial fight the army's Italian-built
airship Roma was destroyed to-day
near the naval base here with the loss
of at least thirty-three lives.
Difficulty in definitely fixing the
number of killed and injured was
caused by the fact that intense heat
from the burning wreckage prevent
ed close inspection.
Eye witnesses said the Roma was
flying at a height of from 600 to 1000
feet when she was e to be In
trouble. A thin wisp of smoke APP
peared and the craft started down.
ward obliquely.
Before striking the barracks build
ing a number of men we're cen to
leap, some with parachutes and some
without.
Some of those removed from the
wreckage were badly burned but 9TH
ers escaped virtually without injury.
Norfolk, Va, Feb. 21.-The num-
Der of dead from the Roma disaster
was estimated late to-day at thirty
three while 1t was said there were a
total of forty-three on board when
the explosion occurred.
Ten bodies. charred beyond any
chance of recognition, had been re-
moved from the still burning wreck
age of the airship Roma at five o.
clock this afternoon. according to a
count obtained by the army base
chief of police.
BODIES DISCOVERED IN DEBRIS
Twelve men were taken from the
twisted mass of steel and fame but
two died on their way to the hospital.
AS the work of rescue was organized,
burned and charred bodies were dis
covered in the debris.
The Roma was flying about 1000
feet above the army supply base when
the disaster occurred, according to
one of the mechanics who was res
cued.
PLANES DID NOT WORK
"Our rudder broke and the planes
did not work and we we're forced to
he said, $50 far as / could
see there was no fire until we hit the
ground"
Testimony of eye witnesses who
the big ship fall bore out the
statement of the mechanic that there
was no evidence of flame until the
dirigible had struck the ground.
DIVES NOSE FIRST
The accident to the Roma occurred
when the vertical controls were car
ried away. Capt. Boyle of the naval
air station at Hampton Roads said
in a telephone conversation late to-
day with Rear Admiral Moffet at the
Navy Department at Washington.
This, he said, caused the dirigible
to dive nose-first and in its descent
struck a high tension electric wire
causing the airship to catch fire.
Capt. Doyle reported that thirty
eight were believed dead and that
or twelve had escaped.
LARGEST AIRSHIP
The airship Roma was IN Italian
built craft purchased by the United
government from Italy early in
1921 for 100000. She was, IL was
believed the largest semi-rigid air
craft in the world, the cost of which
IL was said, by war de-
oartment officials at the time of her
purchase, would probably be $780,
100.
The airship was of 1900, 900 cubic
'eet capacity, 41O feet long, eighty
feet wide and lightweight and
)ne-half feet high. She was origin
lily equipped with six twelve-cylinder
engines of 400 horse power each, CIV
ng an estimated speed of eighty
an hour and a cruising radius
1t full speed of 5000 miles. These
however, were replaced with
liberty motors after the airship was
brought to the United States.
An American crew was sent to
Rome to make tests of the Roma in
tally and after these had been com
)leted the aircraft was dismantled
shipped to this country. reaching
lere last Summer. She was taken in
Ter dismantled shape to Langley field
n Virginia and was assembled there
the fall and by November was
eady for her trial flight which took
from Langley field November
5.
FLEW TO WASHINGTON
Late in December she made a fight
o Washington during a storm and
1as then christened and put into COM
Mission.
Recently she vas being groomed
or a flight intended to take In the
hole United States.
LOSS OF ZR-2
The giant dirigible ZR-2 exploded
yer the river Humber at Hull, Eng
on August 4, 1921, and fell into
lie river a mass of flames. The giant
lrship had been purchased by the
nited States from England and was
'mpleting its last trial fight.
The airship was passing over the