Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-03-04
NINTH WARD ROCKED
BY HEAVY EXPLOSION
IN STREET SUBWAY
Gas in Conduit lgnited and Let
Go With Report Heard for
Great Distance.
NO PERSONS WERE INJURED

With report that caused the resi-.
ucnts Tor many blocks throughout tho
northern section of the city to think
that powder mill had let 60. gas
which had accumulated in the tele-
phone conduit in Market street he.
tween Twenty-third and Twentv-fftb
exploded this morning about . o'clock
Houses in the immediate vicinity were
shaken To their foundations. mauholc
covers weighing over 200 pounds wore
hurled high into the air and much ex-
'tement was created until the real
capse OF the trouble was determined
NO person was injured. as far as could
he learned and no serious damage was
done 10 any properties.
The cause Of the hlow-up Is nm
certain. hut after an Investigation bv
tho Telephone Co, the Gas Co. and
the Street and Sewer Department n
was surmised that the gas had been
isnited by an electric. spark getting
into the conduit. The solid covers n
was said, would preclude the possihil-
ity OF n lighted match or cigar or Gig
arctic butt being tossed into the CON
duit. The gas is believed TO have leaked
into the conduit and accumulated there
in some quantity Judging by the force
OF the blast.
The first blow occurred AZ Twenty
third and Market, where a manhole
cover was sent hurling into the air
and high above the telegraph wires
along the curb. IT fell back into the
street ana fortunately did not strike
anyone. The next blast. occurring AL
most simultaneously was at Twenty
fourth and Market streets as the ir-
nited gas swept along the conduit. and
there two manholc covers were thrown
into the air. Tho third and last ex-
plosion. although all were almost as
one occurred at Twonty-fifth and Mar
iSet streets.
The manhole cover there was hurl-
ed thirty feet into the air and It mar
rowly missed an automobile being
driven by a woman who was passing
the corner at the time. Fortunately
no trolley cars were in either. block
when the accident occurred and few
people were on the street The renort
which was heard many blocks awsv
brought residents OF the Immediate
vicinity 20 the doors of their homes all
ANXIOUS TO know what had happened.
The hremen In Engine House No.
TO- at Twenty-fifth and Market streets
were the first on the scene, for some
h them saw manhole cover go soar
ng through the mir Immediately fol-
owing the sharp report. They made
sure no person had been hurt and
nat their services were not neaded
anywhere before they returned -
luarters. a window in their house
Nhlch was up. was shaken so hard
u ieH with bang and the glass was
'racked "f'S
The Street and Sewed Departpan,
'ihciais' the gas company and the
telephone company representat,,Ioa
iade investigation at once I.ater :,
vas announced at the offices n, ,ho
.e'ephone company that as far. as
hey had been able to defer,,iro -
able lines had not been in1ureo ana
zone OF the telephones i'm the Mi,
Nard mad been thrown out OF co.,,
MISSION. The blast did not do any
'Hniage TO the street paving. Tho gss
"iipany men started a search n a.
ernine n the trouble was really, A.
. gas and IL so where it was cor,Ing
rom. N''iiils