Evening star., 1940-09-13

hENf Ill, ~. j., SepC. Is tRl.-
More bodies were removed early
this afternoon from the ruins
OF the Hercules Powder Co,
plant here, raising the death list
10 80, and company officials ex-
pressed the belief virtually all
bodies had been recovered.
B, the Associated Press.
KENVIL, Nj, Sept. 13.-Rescue
workers poked through a tangled
mass of smouldering ruins today IN
search of more victims of terrific
explosions that leveled the Hercules
Powder Co.'S plant here, killing at
least 35 men, injuring 125 others
and causing an estimated 81 900 600
damage
In point of fatalities. Yesterdays
blast was one Of the worst powder
plant disasters in the Nations his
tory.
William c. Hunt. Wilmington. Del,
in charge of the companys explosive
department, said not more than
four or five additional bodies would
be recovered.
1T is highly likely we'll never be
able to determine the cause of the
explosion, Mr.. Hunt added. The
men Immediately concerned are
lost
The company manufactures
Smokeless powder and other explo-
sives. 1t was engaged in fulfilling
numerous national defense con-
tracts. Today Federal Bureau Of
Investigation agents were investi-
eating possibilities of sabotage. In
the last three months the company
had received $40 900, 900 in contracts
from the Federal Government.
Blast Heard l25 Miles Away.
The blast, of undetermined origin,
was of such intensity that the
countryside was rocked for miles
around. ReverberationS were felt
as far away as Danbury, Conn, l25
miles to the east. Thousands in
surrounding districts believed there
had been an earthquake.
The powder exploded in two ter
rife blasts and was followed by a
u
fire which raced .@lyough the ruins
and surrounding woodlands. ~'Tns
flames hampered rescue efforts and
for time threatened an under
ground magazine.
Twelve hours later another explo-
sion sent Shivers through Kenvil
residents. 1t was minor in char
acter but loud enough to arouse
alarm.
Mr.. Hunt. in charge of the COM
pany's explosive department. said
eight tons of powder in a solvent re.
covery plant blew up in the first two
blasts, setting off other explosions
which destroyed an additional 20
tons
Word of the disaster spread rapid
ly and within an hour a score Of
agencies, including the New York
and Pennsylvania State police, had
offered to aid. Dozens of rescue
squads and ambulances carried the
injured TO hospitals.
Hysteria ran through this Morris
County town of 900 as the magnitude
dents. Relatives of the plants 1900
workmen rushed to the 2000-acre
factory site. Anguished cries of wives
and mothers added to the shrieks Of
the injured.
Police Chief Harry jenkins,
describing the scene at the plant as
horrible" said he saw arms and
enormity of the tragedy, residents
discussed the disas er with phil
osophical resignation.
I'VE kind of expect things like
this up here" one said.
Most of the injured were taken to
the Dover General Hospital, where
at least three died after arrival.
Several others are not expected to
live.
So great was the rush on the
hospitals facilities that many were
treated in Railways.
The injured and dead were re-
moved in ambulances, hearses,
police and fire emergency trucks
from as far away as Newark. When
the Dover Hospital could take no
more, the remaining injured were
transported to ST. Mary's Athletic
Hall, the Dover Hospital Nurses
Home, and the All Souls Hospital
in Morristown.
Priests, clergymen and rabbis
rushed to the Dover Hospital to
single out members of their PASTOR
ates from among the injured.
One of them. the Rev. E. Glenn
Van Tilburg, of st. Johns Meth
odist Church, Wharton, exclaimed:
Il saw hell in France but 1t was
nothing like this"
OF the dead, seven were twisted
and burned beyond recognition. Mr..
Hunt said about rs men were en-
ployed in the immediate vicinity
of the explosion.
Some of the injured could not be
(See EXPLOSION, Page A-30