South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-07-07

ped down ON their hands and knees
and craw.eI to safety
a moment after the general push
for safety started a s0uth-bound
express appeared ON one ~ the op-
poste tracks and ground 10 sud-
den hal, as train and tunne, lights
went dark Power had been shut
Off 90 save the passenger from pos
s.Jie e.ectrocut.on. But the dark
ness ouly added 20 the panic and
The passengers cD lh.slra.n smashed
thei- way ONT Of the cars and Joined
.1 the sc~a mble for exits
Men. women and children were
dropping in their tracks as the
fumes smoke and excitement over
came them others Of stronger
physique and stronger nerves picked
them up and dragged them along 10
safety. ina the meantime Lexington
avenue had been choked with ann
balances and FIRE trucks and police
reserves from three stations that
were drawing Gordon TO hold back
the thousands that were attracted
TO The scene
PuImoters I-seI.
Police iiremeD and volunteers
then PLUNGED into the subway and
brought ors victim after victim,
using the emergency exits and work %
ug by ladders drought the ventil-
tation gratings. Those least injured
were laid out I'm rows on the side
walks TO receive first aid. while the
graveV cases were taken 90 impro-
y.sed hospitals IN Bloomingda les
department store and the Y W. Q.
I A.. later 10 be removed 20 regular
/ hospitals. PulmOtors We're rushed
TO the scene and at one time IA pull
motor operators were bending over
PROSTATE figures on the sidewalk.
| Several priests who happened 10
DE I'm the neighborhood Joined in the
rescue and hrst-aid work and i'm .
/ few instances where victims appear
I ed in "a dangerous condition. admin
istered the last>Fites of the church.
/ Blame for the SERIOUSNESS of the
accident was laid on the Pyrene fire
eXiinguisher by Capt Thomas Bush
/ ~ engine company 80. g. which
was the first 90 reach the scene.
/ Directed by Mayor Hylan 10 make "A
| statement. he said.
/ Start Investigation.
"The smoke was not heavy from a
dreman's point Of view I found en-
I ployes ~ the Interborough fighting
the fire with hand oxtinguishers
which are called Pyrene eXtinguish.
ers. and as a result of liquid from
/ these extinEuishers striking the fire
\ deadly fumes We're created. This
Pyrene extinguisher is widely adver-
| fised and while il is very effective
for gasoline fires, il is a deadly men
ace ina a closed place"
Fire Commissioner Brennan later
said a preliminary investigation indi-
Gated that the "noxiOus fumes" were
caused partly by the burning OF insu-
lation and partly by the use Of Pv-
rene eXtinguishers. A formal in
! vestigation will be started Friday ia
I fix blame for the accident.
An executive Of the Pyrene com
pany az Newark y j.. who declined
\ to give his name denied Py-
rene gave of deadly" fumes
! though he admitted the extinguisher
/ produced "a gas which in a closed
place might cause "fainting and tenn.
\ porary exhaustion
Pres't Frank Hadley or the Inter
borough later issued a statement in
/ which he denied the use Of The Ply
rene eXtinguisher had been the cause
| of the smoke and gases which filled
\ the t~ain- The eNtinguisher. ne said,
had been installed only after it hal
I been approved by the fire underwrit-
ers and The UuUed States govern
meut as one Of the most effective
I in putting out fires such as tina;
Thursday