Probable cause of blast found, article, transcription (Tonawanda News, 1920-12-07 2653).pdf
Dublin Core
Title
Probable cause of blast found, article, transcription (Tonawanda News, 1920-12-07 2653).pdf
Description
**PROBABLE CAUSE OF BLAST FOUND**
Power House Explosion Attributed to Holes Burned in Oil Tanks.
**RESULTED FROM AN ARC**
Negligence Displayed in Leaving Blocks of Wood in Transformers— Might Have Been Responsible for Short Circuit, Witness Says.
Coroner Layman H. Wheeler, Eastport shortly before 9 o'clock this morning closed the inquest into the power house disaster on Robinson street on October 31, in which the explosion cost thirteen lives. The coroner says decision will be the next report on the case connected with the inquiry. There is a large amount of evidence to be given consideration and it is probable that it will be at least a week or more before Dr. Wheeler or others can decide. He will hire the assistance of Charles E. Feldman, a mechanical and electrical engineer, in arriving at a decision as to the conditions which existed at the transformer at the time of the explosion. Witnesses have been giving their evidence daily, and it is the general opinion of those concerned in the examination that the cause of the explosion was due to the presence of blocks of wood in the transformers.
"That a short circuit caused the explosion has not been taken for granted judging by various statements by the officials in examining witnesses on the possibility of this causing the power house trouble," Numerous witnesses have been referred to as to what might have caused this short circuit but just where it happened none of the witnesses have been able to state definitely. The general trend of the evidence has tended to show that the trouble arose in the switching towers of the Niagara Falls Power Company and then in the transformer house of the south side of the Tonawanda Power Company's substation.
George D. Banks, a winding room employee of the General Electric Company of Schenectady who had tested the new transformers when they started, was present at the time of the explosion. He testified of having noticed that the blocks of wood were similar to those placed in the transformers when they were shipped from the General Electric Company's factory and were meant for packing purposes. He said that the presence of these blocks in the transformers after the current was turned on is a sign the current may have caused those in the switching tower to have started in the lower part of the transformer where the actual short occurred.
All these have not been considered ...
Continued on Page Five
---
**PROBABLE CAUSE OF BLAST FOUND**
*Continued from Page One*
it negligence on the part of the persons engaged in setting up the apparatus that these blocks were not removed. He said it was customary to send out instructions with transformers but was not certain if any were sent with those installed in the switching tower to take care of the extra load of electricity which the local company was preparing to handle through its station.
Arthur J. Jones of Niagara Falls, having charge of the installation of the transformers for the Niagara Falls Power Company, testified that no instructions were received with the machines. He said that no test was made of the generators before they were installed and declared that they were kept where it was dry from the time they were received from the factory until installed, asserting that there was no opportunity for dampness or water to get into the machines. He said a test of the oil, used in cooling the transformers, was made and that it was found to withstand the usual test. No examination of the transformers was made by the witness or anyone else before they were installed, according to Mr. Jones. He testified to finding evidence after the accident of an arc having passed from the coil to the tank, but did not consider it sufficient to throw out the oil.
What may prove the most important evidence furnished by any of the witnesses who testified was that given by Mr. Hardie, who was examined by Coroner Wheeler as the last witness at the inquest. Mr. Hardie in compliance with the request of the coroner to relate what discoveries and conclusions he reached as a result of an examination made by him of the switching tower and the apparatus after the accident, told of having found that an inch had burned holes through the bottom of both oil tanks. They were so small, however, that only the most careful observation would disclose them, each being about the size of a led pencil. The inference was drawn that the burning of the holes through the tanks was what caused the explosion and the oil to be thrown about the switch tower, setting fire to the men's clothing.
Before Mr. Hardie testified Coroner Wheeler read the ante-mortem statements of Albert S. Allen, Sam Derby and William Ward, all of whom lost their lives. The statements covered little more than a page and a half of typewritten matter, the substance of the statements having been printed in a previous issue of the Gazette. They made no mention of anything except the matters which were contained in the original report in the Gazette. The missing matter is not given in the witness' testimony.
Mr. Hardie told the coroner that he had a hunch to examine the transformers on the west side of the tower and soon found that there had been an arc in one of them. He also found that the oil was in the wooden troughs under the transformer but said that it was free from water. He further said that all of the wood in the troughs of this transformer was burnt up and the transformer was full of carbon. This transformer is used to step up the current from 2,300 volts to 22,000 volts, which is the pressure carried by the tower. There are three switches in the tower, Mr. Hardie said. He examined two of these switches and found the wires on one of them burned. The third switch is a disconnecting switch. He said that when he examined it he found that the handle of the switch had melted and also the wire ends. The switch is placed at the lowest part of the tower, the high tension wires entering this switch at the top and passing down to the lower switch.
Evidence was given by other witnesses as to the nature of the wounds received by the men who were burned by the oil. In all cases there were slight burns on the upper part of the body, but the greatest damage was done to the legs and arms. There was no evidence that any of the men were knocked out by an explosion.
It was further brought out that the Falls company’s electric tower, through which the power enters Tonawanda, had nothing whatever to do with the fire or explosion. There are three lines entering this tower, 22,000 volts, 13,200 volts, and 2,300 volts. The fire or explosion, the evidence has shown, could not possibly have been caused by the 13,200 volts line, as it would only have caused a burn in case the man was on the line where the wire entered. The Tonawanda company's switch board is the highest line, 22,000 volts, entering the tower and this line is only 14 inches from the wall, making it impossible for any person to get in contact with the line, which is well insulated.
George S. Wisner, the only employee of the Tonawanda Power Company to survive the accident, was called to the witness stand and told of the manner in which he was injured. His story corroborated the statements of other witnesses.
[End of transcription]
Power House Explosion Attributed to Holes Burned in Oil Tanks.
**RESULTED FROM AN ARC**
Negligence Displayed in Leaving Blocks of Wood in Transformers— Might Have Been Responsible for Short Circuit, Witness Says.
Coroner Layman H. Wheeler, Eastport shortly before 9 o'clock this morning closed the inquest into the power house disaster on Robinson street on October 31, in which the explosion cost thirteen lives. The coroner says decision will be the next report on the case connected with the inquiry. There is a large amount of evidence to be given consideration and it is probable that it will be at least a week or more before Dr. Wheeler or others can decide. He will hire the assistance of Charles E. Feldman, a mechanical and electrical engineer, in arriving at a decision as to the conditions which existed at the transformer at the time of the explosion. Witnesses have been giving their evidence daily, and it is the general opinion of those concerned in the examination that the cause of the explosion was due to the presence of blocks of wood in the transformers.
"That a short circuit caused the explosion has not been taken for granted judging by various statements by the officials in examining witnesses on the possibility of this causing the power house trouble," Numerous witnesses have been referred to as to what might have caused this short circuit but just where it happened none of the witnesses have been able to state definitely. The general trend of the evidence has tended to show that the trouble arose in the switching towers of the Niagara Falls Power Company and then in the transformer house of the south side of the Tonawanda Power Company's substation.
George D. Banks, a winding room employee of the General Electric Company of Schenectady who had tested the new transformers when they started, was present at the time of the explosion. He testified of having noticed that the blocks of wood were similar to those placed in the transformers when they were shipped from the General Electric Company's factory and were meant for packing purposes. He said that the presence of these blocks in the transformers after the current was turned on is a sign the current may have caused those in the switching tower to have started in the lower part of the transformer where the actual short occurred.
All these have not been considered ...
Continued on Page Five
---
**PROBABLE CAUSE OF BLAST FOUND**
*Continued from Page One*
it negligence on the part of the persons engaged in setting up the apparatus that these blocks were not removed. He said it was customary to send out instructions with transformers but was not certain if any were sent with those installed in the switching tower to take care of the extra load of electricity which the local company was preparing to handle through its station.
Arthur J. Jones of Niagara Falls, having charge of the installation of the transformers for the Niagara Falls Power Company, testified that no instructions were received with the machines. He said that no test was made of the generators before they were installed and declared that they were kept where it was dry from the time they were received from the factory until installed, asserting that there was no opportunity for dampness or water to get into the machines. He said a test of the oil, used in cooling the transformers, was made and that it was found to withstand the usual test. No examination of the transformers was made by the witness or anyone else before they were installed, according to Mr. Jones. He testified to finding evidence after the accident of an arc having passed from the coil to the tank, but did not consider it sufficient to throw out the oil.
What may prove the most important evidence furnished by any of the witnesses who testified was that given by Mr. Hardie, who was examined by Coroner Wheeler as the last witness at the inquest. Mr. Hardie in compliance with the request of the coroner to relate what discoveries and conclusions he reached as a result of an examination made by him of the switching tower and the apparatus after the accident, told of having found that an inch had burned holes through the bottom of both oil tanks. They were so small, however, that only the most careful observation would disclose them, each being about the size of a led pencil. The inference was drawn that the burning of the holes through the tanks was what caused the explosion and the oil to be thrown about the switch tower, setting fire to the men's clothing.
Before Mr. Hardie testified Coroner Wheeler read the ante-mortem statements of Albert S. Allen, Sam Derby and William Ward, all of whom lost their lives. The statements covered little more than a page and a half of typewritten matter, the substance of the statements having been printed in a previous issue of the Gazette. They made no mention of anything except the matters which were contained in the original report in the Gazette. The missing matter is not given in the witness' testimony.
Mr. Hardie told the coroner that he had a hunch to examine the transformers on the west side of the tower and soon found that there had been an arc in one of them. He also found that the oil was in the wooden troughs under the transformer but said that it was free from water. He further said that all of the wood in the troughs of this transformer was burnt up and the transformer was full of carbon. This transformer is used to step up the current from 2,300 volts to 22,000 volts, which is the pressure carried by the tower. There are three switches in the tower, Mr. Hardie said. He examined two of these switches and found the wires on one of them burned. The third switch is a disconnecting switch. He said that when he examined it he found that the handle of the switch had melted and also the wire ends. The switch is placed at the lowest part of the tower, the high tension wires entering this switch at the top and passing down to the lower switch.
Evidence was given by other witnesses as to the nature of the wounds received by the men who were burned by the oil. In all cases there were slight burns on the upper part of the body, but the greatest damage was done to the legs and arms. There was no evidence that any of the men were knocked out by an explosion.
It was further brought out that the Falls company’s electric tower, through which the power enters Tonawanda, had nothing whatever to do with the fire or explosion. There are three lines entering this tower, 22,000 volts, 13,200 volts, and 2,300 volts. The fire or explosion, the evidence has shown, could not possibly have been caused by the 13,200 volts line, as it would only have caused a burn in case the man was on the line where the wire entered. The Tonawanda company's switch board is the highest line, 22,000 volts, entering the tower and this line is only 14 inches from the wall, making it impossible for any person to get in contact with the line, which is well insulated.
George S. Wisner, the only employee of the Tonawanda Power Company to survive the accident, was called to the witness stand and told of the manner in which he was injured. His story corroborated the statements of other witnesses.
[End of transcription]
Date
1920-12-07
Citation
“Probable cause of blast found, article, transcription (Tonawanda News, 1920-12-07 2653).pdf,” North Tonawanda History, accessed April 24, 2025, https://nthistory.com/items/show/3372.