Salt Lake Telegram | 1926-04-20 | Page 1 | Crew Suffers When Battery Fumes Explode

RW WHEN BATTERY D S 49 Moored at New London London London Lon Lon- don Submarine Base Scene of Disaster FEAR FELT EL T THAT ONE MAN MAY DIE DIEMen DIEMen DIEMen Men Equipped With Gas Masks Rescue e Comrades From Chamber NEW LONDON Conn 20 AP AP Twelve Twelve men members of f th theS the th- S S 49 49 which was WaR moored at a doc dock t tat at the the submarine base were In Injured injured injured in- in this morning when the after battery In the submersible exploded All the men were tak taken n to the base hospital One man mart may dieThe die The submarine which returned from the Portsmouth navy yard ard Portsmouth N. N H. H two weeks ago had been moored at her berth and and her battery was under process of ot being charged throughout the night Escaping gas fumes are believed to to h have ve been the cause of ot the sion sian The explosion produced a tremendous tremendous tremendous dous concussion which hurled the tho dozen men In the tEe steel walled compartment compartment com corn com against the side of the chamber While many of them are suffering from the effects of gas and fire It is believed fractures of limbs constitute the greatest In In- In juries ImmedI Immediately tely after the explosion the submarine base fire alarm was sounded bringing scores of ot men mento mento mento to the scene scene equipped with gas masks The re rescuers cuers dropped Into the submarine and carried out their Injured comrades There were about thirty men inthe inthe In Inthe the forward battery and torp torpedo do room it was reported who es escaped aped with apparently little Injury Carbon Carbon Carbon Car Car- bon monoxide fumes seeped Into the forward chambers endangering endanger endanger- I ing g. g the e lives 0 of the n there ther l men