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Show 2 DIE WIN CAPTIVE BALLOON EXPLODES 1 8 Severely Burned ; First Fatal Accident for the Fort Omaha School. OMAHA, Neb., May 2. Two soldiers were burned to death and eighteen men were burned seriously, when a captive observation balloon of the Cacquot type exploded tonight at Florence field, the army balloon school at Fort Omaha, near here, according t6 a statement by Col. H. B. Hersey, post commander. In the fire which followed the explosion ex-plosion one. of the balloon sheds was badly damaged. Colonel Hersey's statement follows: "A serious explosion occurred at Florence Flor-ence field tonight, when one of the observation ob-servation balloons exploded as it was being be-ing stored away for the night. Static electricity, generated by friction of the balloon fabrics, is believed to have caused the explosion.- "Two men were killed; burned so as to be unrecognizable, and a roll call in the morning will be necessary before it Is possible ty establish their identity beyond be-yond question. Eighteen men were more or less Injured in the blast and a few quite seriously, but not fatally. The men burned received immediate medical attention by surgeons at the fort hospital. hospi-tal. Everything possible is being done for them by an ample staff of surgeons." Tonight's fatalities were the first since the balloon school opened several months ago. |