New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-07
voren and Children Are
TrampIed in Fight for
Lives as Deadly Fumes
Permeate Two Trains
Five Inquiries
Into Cause Begun
Short Circuit Starts Blaze
and Gas Spreads as
rxhnguishers Are Used

- ~,r. largely responsible H. the
80, carbon monoxide fumes shieh
..-lr or completely overcame $50 per-
IN the Lexington Avenue subway,
-, Fifty-ninth Street. yesterday
-;,v are 10 be sifted by five diff
:asrs agencies.
csp.sin Howard T. Rush. Of Engine
c,-p.ny 50. first made the statement
,,s the contents OF Pyrene fire ex-
.,rlshers had added to the fumes.
r.s was later TO some extent cor
,.s,uted by Fire Commissioner
prrrsn. Mayor Hylan has directed
sr.rsl city departments to participate
n a Investigation.
IN the other hand, Frank T. Hedley,
,rsIsent Of the lnterborough, in an
,stisl statement issued last night.
s.siu vigorously the charge that the
.. Of pyrene was in any way harm
NJ, 1T is q mistake TO place the cause
y ne smoke upon the fire extinguish-
c.- Mr. Hedley's statement says:
sThsy were adopted only after COM
r,rsiiye tests. and they were found to
4. one OF the most effective Of those
., The market for extinguishing just
ytis sort OF short circuit fire.
Pyrene Company Is Silent
Ths Pyrene Company declined to
rake any statement "until its officers
iay, had an opportunity TO examine
further into the circum stances
Deputy Fire Commissioner John P.
Prisl will begin his inquiry to-day.
The Marlborough plans a further in
ouiry Of It's own. The Transit Com
mission will have some questions to
ask. and Mayor Hylan instructed the
pepar.ment Of Plant and Structures
and the Police Department to arrange
also for independent Investigations.
City officials intimate that the city
Is particularly Interested in determin-
!ng whether the Insulation used by the
lnterborough Is as proof against fire as
Il might be. and IL pyrene fire extin-
fuisher are the most desirable type
for use underground.
As fre, the outbreak was trifiing.
A short circuit inn steel panel box
& the fifth car Of a ten-car Jerome
l'rue express blew out several fuses
riburned through the box. The total
dusge WAS less than 500. One little
ffstm Of water stopped the blaze
rght where IL started. but meanwhile
tsndseds Of panic-stricken passengers
f,egkt for their lives seventy-fve feet
taderground against sitting fumes in
ksl darkness Acrid smoke charged
With deadly carbon monoxide gases
filed the tunnel. Scores Of men. wom-
On and children were so affected that
tAey needed medical attention.
Police records show more than $50
treated by doctors who were sum-
noned BY emergency calls. Three men
pre- In local hospitals. fighting for their
lives Hysterical women fought with
trrori1ed men TO reach the emergency
txis through the darkness. Lexington
Avenue. between Fifty-ninth and Six
tietk streets, was turned into an open
tir hospital ward. Firemen, policemen
and doctors engaged IN rescue work
Themselves succumbed 10 the deadly
gas fumes, and for two hours the up
town district was panc-stricken by eX-
ssrersted reports that the greatest dis
sster IN subway history had happened.
Men Trample Over Women
Many men lost their heads completely
vhsr the power was shut off from that
seetIon 10 prevent possible electrocu-
toh on the charged third rail of the
stumbling, choking groups of men and
,s.orsn who were fighting their way to
ne exits. When the power went of
,ae lights went out and in the pitch
bhekness Of the tunnel, seventy feet
bslcw the street level, men struck down
vonen and trampled weeping children
Under foot.
Two trains were affected by the panic.
Iae INST the uptown express upon
snieh the fire began, held about three
hundred passengers. The second train
was downtown local which stalled
Nnen II entered the dead section and
vas halted alongside the spot where
,ae burning fuse box was spreading
eeaoly fumes. The passengers in the
~, which was running on the Fifty
,.,nh street station level, got out with
fsue trouble. Most of the panic was
sh ihe express, which was halted below
.ne station level at a point where the
fhpiess tracks run below those used
fy the local trains.
marry Yonosky. twenty-six, of 1i2
a't 1890 Street, and Harry Casey, OF
svs west l0lst Street, were the most
Eenousy injured. Yonosky was taken
Y metropolitan Hospital. where it was
sala last night that ne would probably
recover. Casey is at Bellevue and
's good chance Of recovery.
Irare was tied up for an hour and
''''y-nve minutes. Complete service
(centlnued or psos three)