The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-10-17
CO EXPLODES IN
HANGAR BUT NONE
FATALLY INJURED
. tcontiSu.d from pas. one,


Lying ON a cot, at the Jackson
Memorial Hospital swathed IN
bandages with 4 broken arm and
possibilities OF internal injuries,
Ben Balnes, newspaper reporter
for the San Antonio Light, told
Of the accident 10 the dIrislbie
CO on which he was passen.
ger this morning, True to his
newspaper instincts. Baines had
telephoned his Office from Brook.
Field Immediately after the acct
dent though he had been thrown
10 the concrete floor and In ad-
dillon to broken bones be pos
sibly suffered internal injuries.
we were being towed out OF
the hangar for the flight" he
said. Maj. II. A. Strauss, COM
mander, was standing In front
and the rest OF us we're seated in
the car,
AS the nose Of the ship cams
outside Of the hanger ! noticed II
sway little with the wind. As
the ship was brought farther out,
1t careened to one side. Some OF
US rose in our seats. However, as
the ship was a little more than
halt way out. the wind caught II
with full force and carried It over
10 the west side Of the entrance OF
the hangar. 1t then swayed back.
People under US were running 10
get clear OF the ship.
AS the wind let the big bag
go Il dropped 10 the bottom OF tho
car scraptnE the floor, then a
PUT Of wind caught US and seeing
the car swinging menaeing toward
the west door, decided to jump.
don't know II any Of, the
others jumped or DOT but think
they did.
~ lighted on my feet but the
force OF the tall was too great
and fell to the foor.I turned and
saw the big ship rent and heard
the Kissing Of gas. Others were
jumping and those on the door
made a wild scramble for safety.
In the midst OF this excite.
meut there must have been an
other rent in the bag for the, force
OF the escaping gas threw me- rio.
lently to the floor. ! rose to run
but had taken no more than three
steps when ! was again hurled to
the door. Then came the explos-
ion. was knocked down by
some one running from the scene.
The big bag was a mass OF flames.
All OF the others must have got
ten away from the bag before the
explosion came, although some
were hurt by jumping.
"Pandemonlum reiEned amone
the hundreds OF spectators who
were at the feld, but army officers
and enlisted men quickly rushed
the more serioualy injured to the
emergency dressing station at the
tield."
Inquiry To Be Made
WASHINGTON, Oct l7.-Loss
by fire OF the army dlrisible CO
at sanAntonio today follows tho
destruction at Hampton Foads sew.
eral months ago Of the giant ai-.
ship Roma and Is expected to re,
new the agitation for development
for non combustible hel.um gas FOR
use in all government lighter the,
air ships.
The ca was 12s feet in Length
and 81 feet high. The bag had !,
capacity Of 10000. cubic feet 81
gas. She was propelled by two
$50 horse power motors and nor
mally carried LIew Of six. Her
speed was. rated at sixty five
miles an hour. She was built at a
cost OF approximately $4,000
When the blimp left her home sta.
ton at Langley Field. Va, on her
recent trip to the Pacific Coast,
there was NO intention to establish
new records for speed or endur-
ance on the way across the con.
tinent or on the return trip. The
purpose Of the transeontinentl;
flight was to survey air ship
routes, to photograph air ways 10,
the information OF ayiatorS and to
give practice to.Sar crew in long
distance cross country flying,
In advance Of official reports,
Major General Patrick, chief OF the
army air service. prepared immei
lately 10 order an inquiry by a
board OF competent officers. to
determine the cause Of the acct.