Description: SIX MEN BADLY BURNED IN OIL PLANT EXPLOSION

Date: March 11 1920

Newspaper published in: Rochester, NY

Page/Column: Page 25

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SIX MEN BADLY BURNED IN OIL PLANT EXPLOSION
Caught in Room in Vacuum Oil Plant When Escaping Fuel Oils Let Go.
Burns of Three May Be Fatal.

Six men were burned and probably fatally in an explosion at 11:25 o'clock last night at the Exchange street plant of the Vacuum Oil Company. Gaseous substances escaping from a fuel oil tank connected with the kilns for the restoration of clay used in the filtration of crude oil ignited by some unknown cause and flames shot skyward to a height of approximately 300 feet. All of the injured men were in a locker room immediately adjacent to the kiln room. The property damage will probably not exceed $500.
Those most seriously burned are:
Fred KERLEY, 29 Cady street, about 45.
Byron PETERSON, 147 Cottage street, about 50
Henry GEBO, 265 1/2 Reynolds street.

The others are:
Richard WILKINSON, 560 Seward street
Alonzo MILARD, No. 97 Hawley street
William SPEED, No. 28 Delaware avenue

The explosion occurred shortly before the morning shift in the filter and kiln buildingbegan their duties. A court approximately forty feet square separated the kiln and filter buildings and several large structures used for the storage of high fire test lubricants, the finished products of the plant. The force of the explosion swept downward and then rebounded to the sky. The flash lasted but a few moments but the intense heat broke all of the windows in the adjoining buildings and destroyed the window ________.

Two men are employed in both of the kiln and filter buildings on the night and morning shifts. The locker room is to the south of the court. The flames shot through the windows burning the men as they were changing their clothes. Some difficulty was had in accounting for all of the men.

Run With Clothes Burning
KERLEY and PETERSON ran through the passageway between the storage and filtering building with clothes burning from head to foot. The men were frantic and were shouting incoherently. There were stopped by James FITZGERALD, a watchman at the plant, and were rolled in the mud. Mr. FITZGERALD with a pair of heavy gloves pulled the clothing from the men. Only a handful of clothing was left. Mr. FITZGERALD said that the men were completely aflame.

The kiln room is used for the restoration of clay that is used in filtering and reducing crude oil. The clay is placed in large porous iron cylinders through which flames are shot. The oil and impurities that are retained in the clay in the filtration process are thus removed. The clay is then dried and again used for filtration.

Cause of Explosion Unknown.
Fuel oil is used in the restoration process. The oil is stored in a large tank constructed on the court side of the kiln building. The oil is drawn down into the burners under the cylinders. It is believed that the oil in this tank ignited and the gaseous substances prevalent between the buildings exploded. Harvey J. HUDDLETON, superintendent of the plant, said last night that it was impossible to dermine at that time just what caused the explosion. He was assisted in the investigation by Police Inspector Alfred KILLIP and Baitalion Chief Hugh SMITH.

(some of this article not transcribed)

Clothing All burned Off.
Four of the injured men were removed by the ambulance of the General Hospital and two by the St. Mary's Hospital. All six men are in St. Mary's Hospital. Both KERLEY and PETERSON were hysterical when they were rolled in the mud by FITZGERALD who after the men had been removed to the hospital displayed a few burned rags which represented all of the clothing that was pulled from the men.

The burns of KERLEY, PETERSON and GEBO extended over their entire bodies. At the hospital early this morning it was said that their condition is very critical and that their recovery is very doubtful. WILKINSON, MILLARD and SPEED were burned about the head, shoulders and arms. FITZGERALD was burned about the hands, but did not go the hospital for treatment.

Full Investigation Promised.
Mr. HUDDLETON said last night that a complete investigation would be made to determine the cause of the explosion. He took charge of the care of the injured men and every possible attention was given them. The heat destroyed a large quanity of work clothing in the lockers and bent some of the iron gratings in the doors of the lockers. Only the fireproof construction of the buildings surrounding the court prevented the spread of the fire to large proportions.

Ralph ALEXANDER, who lives across the street at No. 877 Exchange, stated to a Democrat and Chronicle reporter that he had just come home from a meeting and saw the flames leap into the air and as they did so, loud rumbling noises could be heard. He said tht they undoubtedly could have been heard all through the neighborhood.

Mr. ALEXANDER feared that the whole plant was burning and ____ his family to the rear of the house ready to flee at a moment's notice. He then, he said, made his way across the street and saw the two badly burned men making their way to the front entrance. The gate to the street was locked. Mr. ALEXANDER arrived and he climbed over and assisted in first aid. Mr. ALEXANDER's statement that the gate was locked and could not be opened with a key was verified when Inspector KILLIP asked one of the employees if the gate was kept locked. This workman said that the foreman kept the keys to it.