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Becksville, PA Laflin & Rand's Powder Works Explosion, Oct 1889

Posted October 14th, 2007 by Stu Beitler

FEARFUL EXPLOSIONS

Men Killed and Injured in a Powder Mill ...

A terrible explosion has taken place at Laflin & Rand's powder works at Becksville, Penn., resulting in the instant and horrible death of three men and the injuring of six others.

The concussion of the explosion was felt five miles away. Four buildings were utterly demolished and nearly all the glass in the village was smashed.

The men who were killed were all literally blown to atoms, and their remains had to be gathered up in bags and baskets. Portions of the limbs were hurled a hundred yards away from the factory.

The glazing mill, corning mill, powder house and another building belonging to the factory were blown to atoms and portions of the building were hurled 150 feet into the air, and parts of the quivering remains of the unfortunates came down in the shower of the fragments that fell over an area of several squares about the wreck and ruin.

The explosion is believed to have been caused by a tack lying on the floor, which communicated a spark to the powder.

The Cranbury Press New Jersey 1889-10-04
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!

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