The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-04-14
Il MEET DEATH
IN GAS-FILLED
SEWER TUNNEL
Is Other Firemen, Workers
Rescued After Being
Trapped All Night.
POISONED BY SMOKE
Survivors Barricaded by
BuIkhead; Air Pumped In
to Save Them.
BY ROBERT T. LoUGHRAN
United Press stan CORRESPONDENT


CHICAGO. April 14.-Fifteen
men were found alive today in the
flaming sanitary district tunnel on
the southwest side where eleven
others had been killed during the
night by clouds Of poisonous smoke.
A bulkhead in the tunnel had
held back the smoke and fumes
which killed eleven other flremen
and workers while squads of fire.
men pumped fresh air into the
shaft in the hope Of maintaining
lie until rescue could be effected.
Among those who had survived
the night of horror were eight fire.
men and seven tunnel workers.
Fire Captain James O'Neil, one
OF the entombed men, still was in
the tunnel half an hour after the
others scurried to safety. One fire
man attempting to reach him was
overcome by fumes. 1t was feared
ONeil was unconscious or perhaps
dead. He was not missed for some
time in the excitement caused by
the appearance of the survivors.
The men ran shouting from their
prison" and boarded the little ele-
vator which could carry only four
men at time.
Heard Air Blowers
They had released themselves
from the protecting barricade when
they heard the powerful blowers
sucking out the poisonous air.
Division Marshal Patrick Pierce
gingerly opened the small bulkhead
door, shifted the smoky air, shouted
Come on men, it's Safe," and out
they ran.
None appeared much the worse for
his narrowing nights experience.
Fire engines that had been parked
around the tunnel entrance since
Monday night, when the fire began,
set UP a terrific din as the survi-
vors appeared in the open. .~As4
Whistle cords were tied down and
chauffeurs pressed siren buttons.
Policeman Is Run Down
The death toll OF the tunnel fire
stood at twelve when the survivors
were accounted for. Three f1remen
died in the tunnel fumes trying to
save the trapped workmen, eight Of
whom died within short time after
the fire started. The twelfth VIC
tim was Harry Fielder, policeman,
who was killed by one of the ambu-
Iances bearing victims from the dis
aster scene.
The first man out was John Yur-
gin, one of the workmen. He
blinked as he came into the sun
light, which was hazy with smoke
chat gushed from the tunnel all
night. I'm OK" he said.
What did you do down there all
night?" he was asked.
I'VE just sat and waited he said,
as he left in the arms of his family.
Children Wait All Night
Marshal Pierce waited until most
of the survivors were out before he
appeared in the elevator. His six
grown children who had waited all
night at the tunnel fearful but hop
ing he would come out alive,
swarmed around him. His white
shirt hardly was soiled, although he
had spent the night in the muck
of the air chamber.
I'm fine" Pierce said, after kiss
Ing all his grown children several
times each.
1--WE could have stayed another
twelve hours down there all right,
even if they hadn't started pump
ing.
1--WE Just sat around all night,
speculating on how long it would
be before they got us out. We
could hear them cropping in the
tunnel and turn on the blowers"
Smoke Permeates Tunnel
It was the gropers seeking the en-
ton1bed men who died from the
poisonous, dust-like smoke that per-
meated the seventeen-foot-high
tunnel.
Il peeked out the door when the
air pressure lessened and we took
a chance and ran" said Pierce, a
veteran of the fire department.
Despite his protests, PIERCE was
taken to a hospital for examination,
as were the others.
Yurgin seemed more worried about
missing his pay than over the ex-
perience.
what time is it?" he asked.
Told that it was little after 8
a. m, he said:
I'm kinda tired and sleepy and
don't want to 60 back to work TO-
day, but I can't afford to miss the
pay"
All night the blaze, believed to
have started in the sawdust and
shaving packing that lined the tun-
mel, defled flremen and mine ex-
perts.
Treated at Tunnel
Twenty-eight workers and fire.
men we're in st. Anthony's hospital
for treatment, but none in a dan
gerous condition. More than
dozen were treated at the tunnel
shaft and not taken to hospitals
The fire apparently started in the
sawdust and shaving lining of the
400-foot tunnel, 400 feet long and
II feet in diameter, that runs east
and west at Twenty-second and
Latin streets, southwest of the
loop. 1t is being built by the sani-
tary district and is one link of a
large sewer.
Mike Morrissey, 5o-year -old vete-
ran fireman, easily was the out
standing hero.