The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-11-14
SCORES ARE
KILLED BY
EXPLOSION

tAOuSl0NCA AIOtu S0kG CssS
that the steps leading 20 the main
door were spattered with blood.
Most of the injured had been cut and
hurt BY flying glass ard debris.
The gas works, on Reedsdale
street. north side, was said to EN-.
ploy more than 500 men. but. just
how many OF these were at work at
the time was not known.
Investigations Started
Coroner W. ]. McGregor, for AL
legheny county; Fire Chief r. I.
Smith, for the city of Pittsburgh,
and officials Of the Philadelphia
company Of which the Equitable
company is q subsidiary, immed-
lately launched Investigations Of the
fatal blast.
In some instances, where factor.
les did not collapse, all employees
were hurt. This was true Of the
Pittsburgh Iron Bed company,
where the entire personnel Of 50
men needed hospital attention. En-
tire families, fathers, mothers and
children, residing in the district
who escaped death, were removed
to hospitals, some very badly hurt.
Some Of the larger plants wreck
ed included the Union Paint COM
pany, tho Standard Plate Glass
company, warehouse and the Ward
Herrent Roofing company.
While the exact cause Of the ex.
plosion was undetermined, it was
said that gas company workmen
were repairing a section Of the tank
with a blowtorch when the blast
occurred.
Death List Grows Rapidly
The joseph Oren department
store warehouse, near the tank, was
crushed like an eggshell by the
rec Of the blast.
With eleven bodies at the morgue,
e REGULAR undertakers were forced
to summon outside aid. A number
Of morticians from private under
aking houses were put to work,
while others ,:ere* held in reserve
to handle additional bodies as they
were recovered from the -'uins.
The death list continued to grow
when three victims succumbed to
their injuries in hospitals.
Many of those in hospitals were
reported in critical condition. Doc
t. rs said many of the victims had
suffered internal hurts.
In the lists of victims at Mercy
hospital was Paul Mundeski,, his
wife and TO r children.
Several hours after the blast &C.
erred, rescuers were finding it
hard to get into the center of the
wrecked district. In the midst Of
the section was the city asphalt
plant, and here, it was reported, Is
employees had been killed or injured.
The plant, across the street from
the tank, was a total wreck.
Many Cut BY Glass
Even pedestrians on downtown
streets did not escape the blast.
Many persons were cut by glass
when large department store win
dows were shattered.
The blast occurred just as the
police courts Of the city. got under
way. Magistrates Immediately ad-
JvoAuSO SVWAt o1au 1uSIS5n IuC VV1SSS
to the scepc.
Begrimmed firemen. working
within the radius through which the
explosion shot death and destuuc-
ton, said words would not describe
the scene. They were fighting
their way through the debris-choked
streets, aided by volunteer rescue
workers, bu. their progress was
slow. They were menaced by tot
tering walls, dangling wires and
flooded streets.
Here and there the firemen halt
ed to pick up an injured victim.
At one point they stumbled upon
an infant baby boy. He was rushed
to . hospital. Another little fell
low, cut by flying debris, told the
firemen he was Jack Smith, aged
four years, but he did not know
where he lived. He was sent to .
hospital.
When rescuers reached : point
near the tank, they found that the
large factory building occupied by
the Union Paint company had caved
in, trapping all the workers in the
plant. Here . number Of dead were