New Britain herald., 1926-04-21
INTERIOR OF SUB
 IS BADLY WRECKED
(continued From First Page)

Spontaneous Combustion
 According to McShane an over supply of hydrogen gas ignited through spontaneous combustion and caused the blast. He said that Clarie D. Fellds, first class elcctri- clans mate. entering the battery compartment to take battery read ing, turned a battery valve and tho explosion Immediately followed It was the opinion that when the bat tery was exposed the hydrogen in n pocket which formed on the surface of the battery came in sudden con- tact with the oxygen of the com partment and spontaneous combus- ton resulted. Fcllds took the fun blast almost in the face and was | hurled against the overhead deck with both arms and legs fractured and his face cruelty hurt.
 The bodies of Theodore Hoist, Jrp chief boatswain's mate; Ollie J. Cooke, seaman. first class; and Ralph Edward Mccormack who died at the base hospital from the results of their injuries were held at tue undertaking parlors of Robert E. Byes today awaiting orders us to their disposal from the navy depart mont. The next of kin of the dead sailors have been notified of their deaths. Holst's wife, Mrs. Martha Hoist lives at 1oo Monument street, ,-, 'arn1nrly 01pn married and his wife, Vera E. Nc Cormack, resides at 51 Prospect street, East Lynn, Mass. Cooke Is survived by a mother, Mrs Anna Cooke of Danville, Va.
 A scene of complete wreckage greeted the members of the board of inquiry inquiring into the facts surrounding the explosion. The compartment had been sealed since the bodies of the injured were re- moved, to prevent fire which broke out from spreading and. to keep the gases confined.
 The members of the board en- tered the submarine via the torpedo room hatchway and entered the battery compartment from the tor pedo compartment. It was antlci- pated that much gas would still be confined in the bat&ry compartment and every precaution was taken by the entering officials to guard against another explosion. How ever, little gas was encountered. There was considerable electric dlS- play experienced, the battery cells spitting and fuming veDomously.
 The compartment was complete wreck. The steel deck plates were torn and twisted and the heavy wooden mess tables and benches that lined the walls were reduced to splinters. The floor was covered with fragments of piping and other metal. aud, judging from the ap- pearance of the compartment, 1t IS considered miraculous that any ot the crew trapped in the compart- ment escaped with their lives.
 The members of the board of in- quiry made a brief preliminary sh- yey of the compartment without ar irving at any conclusion as to the cause of the explosion. The com partment was left open to permit all of the gas to escape and tomorrow when it has been sufficiently cleared, the members of the board will again penetrate it to make an intimate in- vestigation of the battery equipment in their efforts to determine the cause of the blast.
 At the submarine base this aft ernoon it was said that the body ot Seaman Ollie J. Cooke, who died last night from injuries received in the explosion, had been claimed by his mother, Mrs. Anna Cooke, and would be sent to her at Danvllle, Va., accompanied by a guard Of honor. It had not been decided this afternoon as to whether the body would be shipped tonight or held over until tomorrow, when services would be held over it. Up to late hour today the navy department had not been advised as to the disposal of the bodies of Chief Boatswain's Mate Theodore Hoist. Jr.. of Groton, Conn.,, and Ralph Edward McCor- mack of East Lynn, Mass, the other two victims.
 At least two members of the crew of the S-49 had figured in other sub- marine disasters. Dewey G. hlle, fireman, first class, was one Of the three survivors of the S-5l disaster, when that vessel was struck by the steamer City of Rome off Block Island last September. Kile was asleep in the battery room. Clad only in his underwear, he was able to climb to the deck through the con- ming tower before the ship went down.
 After swimming in the cold water for over an hour he was picked up by the City of Rome. Kile was in the engine room of the S-49 when the explosion came yesterday morning He was thrown to the floor by the concussion, but quickly recovered and scrambled to the safety Of the outer deck via the engine room hatch.
 Louis Sykora, first class engine man was also in the engine room ot the S-49 when the blast came. He was slightly gassed. sykora was a member of the crew of the R-27 when that vessel struck fresh wa ter pocket and went down off Pana- ma several years ago. He was also on the S-19 when she grounded off Nauset, Cape Cod in December, 1924.
 At the submarine base late this afternoon it was said that the three men mentioned as being in critical