Erie, PA Boiler Explosion, Oct 1901

A TERRIFIC EXPLOSION.

BOILER IN AN ERIE FOUNDRY SMASHES THE BUILDING.

ADJOINING HOTEL DEMOLISHED.

MANY PERSONS SERIOUSLY INJURED -- SIX GIRLS BURIED IN THE DEBRIS -- ENTIRE FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED OUT TO SUBDUE THE FLAMES.

Erie, Pa., Oct. 10. -- Last night a large boiler in the brass foundry of the Hayes Manufacturing company on West Eleventh street exploded with terrific force and completely demolished the three story brick building in which it stood. Adjoining this building and directly back of the Liebel House, which fronts on State street, was another three story brick connected with the hotel by a covered passageway across the alley. The first floor of this building was used as a storeroom, the second for sleeping rooms for some of the girls and an ironing room and the third floor as the hotel kitchen, the covered passageway leading direct to the dining room, which is on the second floor of the hotel.
This hotel annex was also completely demolished, nothing but a portion of the side wall remaining.
At the time of the explosion supper was being served, and six girls who were in the kitchen were carried down in the wreck. A general fire alarm was sent in, and in a very few minutes the entire fire department was at work extinguishing the flames which had started and rescuing the injured who are as follows:
The Injured:
MRS. ELLA DOLAN, cook, badly burned and cut, found wedged against hot cooking range and may die.
FRANCES LEAVENBUSKI, silver girl, both legs and one arm broken, badly cut, injured internally and will die.
ANNA SCHIMAGAU, kitchen girl, slightly injured.
Two Polish kitchen girls, only slightly hurt.
MAY BENTLEY, dining room girl, slightly hurt.
JACK DAVIDSON, porter in saloon, very seriously cut about neck and shoulders by glass.
CHARLES WHANDON, watchman in building where explosion occurred, slightly hurt.
The hotel was badly injured by the concussion, all the windows being wrecked, as were all the plate glass windows in the stores in that vicinity. The drift of the explosion passed through the hotel barroom, and that part of the hotel was completely wrecked. How any one escaped serious injury seems marvelous.
The cause of the boiler explosion is unknown. Damage to the Hayes Manufacturing company and to the hotel amounted to about $50,000.

Daily Times New Brunswick New Jersey 1901-10-10
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!