Evening star., 1933-06-10
.|NCEND|ARY BLAST |
KILLS 5, INJURIES Is.
CeIIuIoid Plant Blows Up,
Hurting Fire on Bathers.
Others May Die.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NORTH ARLINGTON. N. j., June
10-With the toll of the disaster tenn
porarily fixed at dead. missing and
at least rs injured, preliminary investi-
cation into last nights celluloid plant
explosion developed evidence. police
said, pointing to incendiarism and in
dustrial warfare as the cause of the
holocaust.
John E. Guidetti, Bergen County
prosecutors detective, announced clues
of incendiarism had been found in the
wrecked plant of the Atlantic Pyroxlin
Waste Company's plant and told of
being informed of threats of reprisal
made against the operator of the plant
by business rivals.
Alex Scheinzeit. the operato of the
business, was being held on charges
of technical manslaughter.
Two Ordered Arrested.
Guidetti's announcement was fol-
lowed by orders for the arrest of two
Elizabeth, N. j., men as material wit
nesseS of the disaster. The names OF
the men sought were not disclosed.
Guidetti said he had learned that
Scheinzeit had been warned recently
by business rivals that bitter fight"
was in the offing to determine which
would stay in business the longest.
While authorities pressed their in
vestigation, the possibility of an in
creased death toll loomed. Three VIC
tins in st. Michael's Hospital, New
ark, were reported in a very grave con-
dition. In the West Hudson Hospital
were three more injured, conceded only
slight chances of recovery.
Search for Other Bodies.
Firemen began a renewed search at
dawn, fearing more bodies would be
found in the burned houses or in the
Passaic River, where bathers fled to
escape the flames. At least two OF
the dead are children.
The heat had brought scores of bath
ers to small bathing beach near the
plant of the Atlantic Pyroxylin Waste
Co., dealers in scrap celluloid. AS dark
ness descended, men, women and chill
dren fingered, splashing in the water.
Suddenly-an eyewitness, John jack
son, said-there was roar and flames
shot upward 200 feet. Burning debris
and flaming celluloid fell in showers.
New sheets of fire shot outward Shrieks
of people in houses nearby were echoed
by the screams of bathers as the flames
struck them.
Plunge Into Water.
Scorched or severely burned, their
bathing suits aflame, many of them
plunged toward the river as a second
explosion shattered the night It was
the blast of gasoline tank, spattering
fire anew, enveloping garage and a
parked car.
Several women, already badly burned
by blazing clothing, were seen to dart
into the water. Mrs. Margaret La Tone
was seen trying to swim the river. A
flaming chunk of wood hit her. She
sank and was drowned, police said.
List of Dead.
The others on the list of dead were
Mrs. Joseph Klitch. 40.
Her daughter Mildred, l3.
George Dale, So.
Mrs. George Dale, his wife, 81.
Susan Appleyard, 33.
Lillian Appleyard, 3.
Thomas Molinosky, %.
Firemen, arriving from seven towns,
found scene of horror. In the light
of the flames screaming women ran
up and down the beach, seeking lost
children. Dying and injured were
moaning Police Capt. Neil Barrett
sent men to stores to requisition all
the salves, unguents and first-aid kits
they could find Two dozen people were
sent to hospitals, while more than 40
others received first aid on the spot.
No estimate of the damage was given,
but it was believed to be more than
100000
Mrs. Klitch, whose husband owns the
building housing the celluloid works,
died with her daughter in a hospital
The Dales died in one Of the seven
burned houses.
WILL STUDY EXPLOSION.