The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1922-04-14

explosions at the Standard OIL
Refinery, opened horrifed eyes
to view huge pillars Of flames
and smoke rising from the ruins
Of the new million dollar tube
pressure still blown to the hesv-
ems when the bottom dropped
from one Of the condensers in
operation. igniting two OF the
stills and in the resultant deton-
alton taking the life of one man.
the mind Of another and sending
three others to the hospital with
probable fatal burns.
SCORES SLIGHTLY HURT
Scores of others were treated
for lesser injuries, the plant
sewers became labyrinths OF
kissing steam and flames, pan
demonium seized hundreds Of la
borers and the company fire de-
partment augmented with scores
of workers called from all parts
OF the mammoth refinery battled
for two hours and a half to check
the most disastrous FIRE suffered
by Writings chief Industry since
the catastrophe of q like nature
claimed the lives of eight en-
ployes last July 4th.
From the bedside Of the in
Jured at the Standard Oil hospi-
tai. c. W. Smith. safety director
of the plant, granted the follow
ing statement and authenticated
the list of injured.
DEAD
Alfred Plant, aged 40. inside
helper. 6742 Calumet ave, or 1889
Kimbark ave-, Chicago. Died of
burns.
INJURED
Thomas Roche. aged 4s, fore
man. 7a7 ". 4sth st. Chicago.
Fred keesel. aged "a, 42s
l19th St, Whiting. fireman.
John Ward. aged ~. 524 Tlsch-
rupp ave. outside helper.
Joe Rouch. aged 80. 1924 Ave-
nue. L. Chicago. fireman.
Walter Westanseit, 23e Atchi-
son ave. Whiting, aged %. fire.
man.
Joe Tokarz, aged 81. still clean
er, 7S4 125th st, Chicago.
Luther Coyle. 4s3 John St.
Arthur Tapensus. soos Houston
ave. Chicago.
M n1,UTrr
We are investig the
,ause OF the explosion. Most of
hose injured received compare
lively minor burns and bruises.
We don't think any arc fatally
lurt. The property loss cannot
'e estimated at this time. II viii
'e high. We can place no figure :
low" That is the substance Of
1r. Smiths statement.
SHOOTS LIKE ROCKET
Operating under 95 pounds
PRESSURE, still No. II of battery
9 shot like a sky rocket to the
he clouds Just two hours and
alf before the eight o'clock
hift change this morning. with
ut warning. the huge reinforced
oncrete. brick and steel crude
il container burst asunder and
geyser of flaming oil spouted
pwards when the bottom. heat
aten by coke. dropped into the
re-box and the sputtering oil
nd explosive gases becoming
ynited flashed out death and de-
truction.
SECOND EXPLOSION
Immediately after the first ex-
losion came a second. as the ad-
Dining stin weakened by the
sarful detonation caught fire
nd swirled upward and outward
rushed like an egg g-sheil in the
itan grasp Of tho suddenly liber-
ted chemicals. Tho two explo-
ions shook the whole OF Whit
lg, The reverberatlon was felt
$ far away as Robertsdale Win
ows ratified and residents rush
d out fearful to see the horror
T last July 4th repeated.
EMPLOYEES WORK NoBLY
The plant FIRE company and
cores of other employees worked
,r more than two hours TO CON
ne the fire to the one battery
Their stills in Batteries 10 and
D were pumped ou. hurriedly.
.ssening the danger OF further
Splosions. Battery 1s was plao-
! completely out OF commission
artery 20 will be IN shape 10
,sume operating within a week.
IN PATH oF FLAMES
Plant. inside helper. was found
lad a few feet from the rseeiv-
Ig house. This building. ter
linus for incoming pipe lines
I'D distributing station to the
ills. is situated Immediately be
nd the battery. 1t was demol-
he'd by the explosion. IT is be-
sved that Plant had just LETT
e building before the still blew
,. He must have rushed direct
into the patch of the wave q
tine that followed the detona-
on. He was found face down.
5 body. He was So horribly
shgured as to be unrecogniz-
lie. Identification was estab-
he'd by the charred badge num-
T found near the body. His
dy was removed to the under
king rooms Of Tulley and Grie-
at Whiting. Plant is said to
We been married.
TEMPORARILY DERANGED
Fred Keesel. fireman, terrified
the miniature volcano that
me like a fash OF lightning.
IS temporarily robbed OF his
ind. He fed in mad flight.
falling. rising, and
ling again until picked VI
om the spot where he fell ex-
usted when physicians found
BODY a mass OF hruiseS v,s+h