The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-05-10
New Well
Is IsIgniited
by Sparks
Texas Cusher Flowing at Rate
of 5000 Barrels and 20,000,-
900 Feet of Gas Turned
Into Raging Inferno.
Five Bodies Recovered

Houston Tex. May s.--Twelvs
sorkmen We're burned to death in az
explosion and fire at the J. X Hughei
Developing company's Mckee No.
weel in the Powell field district. ac
! cording TO advices from corsicans
Ten were killed almost instantly anc
two others died In hospitals shor,
time afterwards.
The fire originated from a spark as
a workman dropped a control valve
. alongside the casing of the gusher.
Reliable reports say the well. which
came in Tuesday night was flowing
Wild at the rate of 5000 barrels OF
oil and In excess OF 10000. 900 feet OF
gas when IL ignited.
The wei is the third completed In
the new field from a sand between
2.sz2 and 1000 feet.
List of Victims.
The knodn dead are:
NJ. o. Turner. Mississippi
S. p. Allen. 30. corsicana. married.
Jack Cooper. corsicana.
Edwin c. Cooper, Corsicana
Fred c. Raig. Roane, Tex
L. c. Sheek. Dallas.
L. c. Hook, Kerens, Tex
Dan Phillips. kernes, Tex.
James Phillips. Kerens, Tex.
TWO others unknown.
Fatally burned.
Travis owen, Corsicana married.
Five bodies have been taken from
the inferno
1t is believed the other have been
consumed entirely.
All members Of the drilling crew
are said 70 have been fatally bfrned.
II was reported that W. A. Hicks. an
ol man Of WORKMAN. were among
those burned to death. G. II. Ball.
field superintendent on an adjoining
lease. and b. b. Simmons. an oil man.
are said 10 have narrowly escaped in
jury.
Men on Platform Killed
j. X. Huhses, head OF the Develop
ing company. upon receipt Of news OF
the disaster. left immediately for Cor
sicana and went directly TO the well.
1t was said at the offices of the
company that none OF the Mexia oil
men who were at the well az the time
1t was brought in. lost their lives in
the fire.
More than 1000 barrels Of accunu
/ lated waste and the fun flow OF the
well ignited al once and caught all
workmen ond and around the derrick
Platform.
Bodies BADLY Charred.
The bodies recovered are 50 badl,
eharred thar identification Is i'm
possible
One man. a Mr. Simmonds. who
was on the derrick floor with the
crew. escaped by runniI & His cloth
ing not being oil-soaked did not
ignite. A 15-year-old boy escaped
with him.
One man said that the bodies Of the
dead men were where they fell when
the blast occurred and with the wei.
still burning. il would be impossible
for some time 10 remove them.
The fire started about this after.
noon while hundreds were IN the
vicinity OF the well.
Automobiles Destroyed
\ number Of automobiles near the
well were reported to have been de
stroyed by the fire.
Word of the tragedy was telephones
10 Corsicana with urgent cali that al
available doctors. medical supplies
and amhulsnces be rushed 10 the
scene. The dead and injured vert,
taken to Cors.cana.
According to an eyewitness. the
crew was on the derrick floor chang.
ing the control head when suddeniy
there was a flash Of fire. followed
by two other flashes. the fire shoot
ing over 100 feet IN the air. AL tbs
trees and shruhbery around the well
were saturated with oil and the ground
WAS quickly burned clear The well
continued 20 burn and is now flowing
wide open with the flames dartins
high into the. air.