Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1924-01-05
DUST EXPLOSIONS
CAUSE BIC FIRES
Many Mysterious Forest B!azes
Started in This Way-Fire-
bugs Exonerated.

Washingt0n.-As result of inveSti-
cations the Department of Agriculture
has decided that most mysterious for
est fires which have been attributed
to firebugs were really caused by dust
explosions. 1t is also believed that
these dust explosions cause fires in a
great. variety of industries. =
"Coal and grain dusts were long
thought to be the only ones likely to
cause explosions" according to D. j.
Price Of the Agricultural department,
sand great progress has been made in
the coal mining, grain handling and
milling industries to reduce the haz-
ard, but other industries are constant
ly being added to the list. Usually, 1t
seems, it is necessary for dust ex-
plosion to occur. before precautions
are taken, and as result many of
the explosions reported are In indus
tries in which this peculiar hazard
has not been fully recognized.
Most Dust Will Explode.
practically all Industrial plant
dusts, with the exception of such inert
substances as shale and limestone,
will explode under proper conditions
of dryness, temperature and mixture
with the air. This means that in the
United States there are approximately
21.O00 plants, manufacturing products
Of an annual value of nearly. $1,000
100000, which are subject to the haz-
ard unless precautions are taken.
Investigations made by the Depart
ment of Agriculture have. shown ex-
plOsiOns to have been caused by dustS
of cork, hard rubber, aluminium, sui
phur, soap, powdered milk, spices,
cocoa wood, paper and many other
substances. Enormous property dam
age has been done in manufacturing
plants and elevators and in not few
instances many lives have been lost.
& SIN one explosion in an Industrial
plant 43 persons were killed, 80 were
injured, and the property damage was
$3.OO0,O00. Another explosion wrecked
one Of the most modern plants Of its
kind in the world, killed all the work.
men and did property damage in ex=
cess of $4.OOO.OOO.
Methods Of Prevention.
''The means developed by the gov
eminent investigators for the proven
ton Of these explosions consist in
eliminating sources of ignition, keep
ing the plant as free as possible from
dust accumulations, and in certain in
dustries by the adoption of special
equipment Tor dust collecting and for
carrying off charges Of static cleo
tricity which otherwise would accu-
mulate and produce sparks.
SIN additiissstJ the work done study
ing these explosions by the Depart
ment of Agriculture, various organiza-
lions have interested themselves in
urging the use of methods of proven
tion. The National Fire Protection
association, through it's COMMITTEES on
dust explosion hazards, has been ac-
tive in developing control measures
and regulations to be observed in a
number of industries, including -four
and feed milling, and sugar, cocoa and
fuel pulveriZing. Measures also are
being devised for terminal grain ele-
vators and for various other lines Of
industry.
'aThe insurance department of the
Chamber of Commerce Of the United
States of America, in cooperation
with the National Fire Waste council,
has published bulletins for the as
sistance of fire prevention committees
of local chambers Of commerce."