Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 74, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 May 1902 — DEATH FOLLOWS EXPLOSIONS. [ARTICLE]

DEATH FOLLOWS EXPLOSIONS.

Catastrophe in Pittsbnrg Causes the Loss Of Many Lives. Two terrible disasters, killing about twenty-five people and burning ami injuring hundreds of others, occurred at Pitt?burg about 4 o'clock and reached a full climax nt G:ls Monday evening. In the ranhaudie yards nt Sheridan, about four miles from .the .Union station, Pittsburg. a train crew was switching cars. Minong them were two tank ears filled with refined oil and one with naptha. The two oil ears, in being ‘ kicked” along the track, came together with a crash wrecking one tank car and breaking ft switch light. The wrecked ear sprung a leak -ftml the oil soon flowed to the switch light. It com mu n ica ted to th e tank and it blazed skyward. The heat caused an explosion, but not of much ‘ force. The trainmen could do nothing. Its the oil spread over the ground, making it impossible to reach the burning car. About*s:ls the second tank ear containing refined oil exploded. It. caused the crowd that gathered to fall back th the hillsides on each side of the track. In tranquility about a thousand persons watched the oil burning. Fire departments from neighboring boroughs responded, but they could do nothing. About 6 o'clock a terrific explosion rent the naptha car asunder, Winch everybody had evidently forgotten about. The dome of the tank lit in the hillside about a hundred set away, and the blazing naptha spread like a fountain of fire, decorated the hillsides with its drippings, and as the fluid descended it fell on the unfortunate multitude which had come from their homes and work and paused to look at the spectacle. Among them were thousands of Italians and their numerous families. Scores of these were soon ablaze. Immediately there was a rush for safety. Hundreds who were sprayed by burning oil tore their clothes off their bodies. Women were soon denuded, children screamed;- men -ran—hither—and—thither like wild beasts. People set fire to each other. Some crawled in the dirt, others ran and fanned the flames with wind. Dozens of naked men beat their bodies among the bushes seeking to relieve the pa-in, others sank exhausted never to rise again. At 10 o'clock the firemen had succeeded in subduing the fires in the freight cars in the yards. The property loss will amount to fully $1500,039.