The Mankato free press., 1922-07-07
WOMEN CARRIED
AWAY TO SAFETY
ONE HUNDRED FIFTY ovER-
COME BY SMOKE
MAD RUSH TO ESCAPE
Disaster Occurred Seventy Five
Feet Underground In New
York City Today.
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch,

New York, July 81 Abo %
persons were overcome by sl-s
day when a northbound Jerome ave,
express on the East Side subway.
caught fire near Lexington avenue
and sixty First street. Dozens Of
ambulances were summoned from
nearly every hospital in the city and
mayor Hylan arrived to direct the
rescue work. The accident occurred
about IS feet underground.
The fire started in the motorman's
box after a fuse had blown out.
There was fash ard the smoke
swept through the crowded train.
Mad Scramble To Escape
When the emergency brakes were
applied and the train came to grinds
ing halt, guards threw open the
scramble to escape. Those unable
to walk were carried from the cars
to the 59th station. Fire ladders also
were dropped through iron gratings
at 61st street and women lifted TO
The injured were stretched on
the sidewalks for several blocks. A
temporary hospital was organized
and IA pullmotors ere put in op-
Grafton. The crowd of spectators
soon became so dense that police
reserves had to be rushed to the
Guards Fought Flames
Men, women and children filed
the ten car train. Guards attempt
ed to fight the, flames wit1 hand
extinguishers but failed. When the
firemen arrived, however, they soon
succeeded in quelling the blaze.
which in itself was small Many
of the fire fighters were overcome.
Relief work soon got under way
Besides the doctors who FASTENED
to the scene in ambulances, many
other physicians jumped into taxi,
offfces nurses Eith them IS
Al department store promptly or
ganized a fire brigade OF IS employ
es, who dashed into the subway 20
aid In the rescue work. The stores
drug department was raided tor
supplies and pullmotors.
Many Firemen Overcome
Many fremen were overcome as
they tried to descend the subway
steps. Members of the rescue squad
donned their gas masks to attack
the flames.
Ou1CldIS CO dLtlyCs Woo 0AtV Ch b1Sh
by fumes when he attempted to en-
ter the subway. He directed that
exEerts be summoned from the IRE
department and the department OF
water supply, gas and electricity to
make a thorough investigation OF
the blaze.
About an hour after the accident
occurred a check of the injured
failed to reveal any dead. although
two men and a woman we're taken
to hospitals in a critical condition.
Later Reports
Panic ragged seventy fve feet
underground today when fire broke
out on an up town Lexington Ave.
nue. subway } express near 59th
Deadly gas filed the ten cars
when guards attacked the small
blaze with fire extinguishers and
about 15O men,, women and chill
dren were affected by the fumes
before they crawled through the
darkened tube to outlets and climb
ed or were lifted to the street, two
levels above the express tracks.
Three persons were so badly al.
tackled by the gas that fear is felt
for their lives. About fifty were
sent to hospitals and the others re-
ceived medical attention. The train
carried about 500 passengers. It
was, two hours before traffic could
be resumed on the subway which
was; jammed with stalled trains for
many miles.