Johnstown, PA Cambria Steel Explosion, Jan 1904

EXPLOSION KILLS THREE.

Steam Pipe Bursts, Wrecking Mill and Burying Man.

Three men are dead and eight are injured as a result of the breaking of a governor belt, allowing an immense fly-wheel to run away and burst in the Cambria Steel Company's No. 2 rail mill at Johnstown, Pa. Three are dead and eight are more or less injured.

Most of those killed and hurt are foreigners who were employed in the mill.
The explosion brought down the whole section of roof running from the puddling mill to the finishing shed of the mill. The woodwork at once took fire from the furnaces and it burned fiercely.

The accident was the result of the engine in the mill running off, as the result of the governor belt breaking. The wheel was about 30 feet in diameter, and exploded with terrific force, smashing into the large steam main that ran along the roof of the building and causing it to burst. In a moment the entire No. 2 mill was a scene of confusion and devastation.

The Indiana Democrat Pennsylvania 1904-01-27

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DEATH SPREAD BY STEAMPIPE IN STEEL MILL

FEARFUL CATASTROPHE FOLLOWS AN EXPLOSION IN CAMBRIA PLANT IN JOHNSTOWN.

FOURTEEN MEN DEAD; TWENTY-FIVE INJURED.

Some of the Victims Were Penned Down by Debris and Burned to Death -- The Men Were Chatting Socially When Explosion Occurred.

Johnstown, Pa., January, 21 -- An immense steam pipe directly over the engine in the boiler room of No. 2 mill, of the Cambria Steel Company, exploded at about 1:30 this morning, bringing down the whole section of roof running from the puddling mill to the finishing shed of the mill. The woodwork at once took fire from the furnaces, and at this time is burning fiercely.
It is known that, at least, two or three men are under the debris, and it is not believed that they can be rescued in time to save their lives.
About fifteen men have been taken out and have been either sent to the hospital, or are lying on improvised cots in offices nearby. It is impossible at present to learn the extent of their injuries, but it is known that several are in a critical condition.
Added to the fire and explosion disaster, a large water pipe burst and is flooding the ground about the scene of the accident. One man caught in the debris is in plain sight, but cannot be rescued owing to the intensity of the heat. It is probably that not one of the men penned in can escape death, either by drowning or fire. The accident occurred between a turn and a great many men were seated in the mill.
At 2:40 a. m. the number of dead is numbered at from twelve to fourteen men. The injured will number twenty-five or more, many of whom are terribly scalded and cannot live. Two bodies have been recovered. The injured are being hurried as rapidly as possible to hospitals.

The Atlanta Constitution Georgia 1904-01-21
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!