Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 December 1901 — TEN BURNED TO DEATH [ARTICLE]

TEN BURNED TO DEATH

Frightful Di*a*ter Occurs at a Bliurt Furnace at Pittsburg, Pa. Pittsburg, Dec. 19.—8 y an explosion slon of gas in she Soho furnace ot Jones & Laughlin, near Brady street, this city, at 6:30 a. m. ten men were burned to death and prolrai’bly twenty others more or less injured. The damage to the plant will amount to $20,000. The explosion occurred tn one of the big blast furnaces. The men were at work at the top of the furnace over 120 feet above the ground. They were employed as fillers and were just getting ready to quit work, being members of the night crew, when the gas, which accumulated in the furnace, exploded and tons of molten metal, cinders aud slag were thrown over the unfortunate men on top of the structure. When the gas let go a panic ensued on the small platform about the top. The men made a rush for the elevator, but it had gone down and there was no escape. To jump meant death, and to remain ou the platform was just as certain doom. Tons of molten metal and flames fell upon them and burned ten men to death. Their bodies dropped to the roof of the mill, eightyfive feet below, every bone broken and an unrecognizable mass of human flesh.