1934 — May 8, Missouri Pacific grain elevator dust explosions and fire, St. Louis, MO– 7

–7 AP. “Elevator Explosion Death Toll to 7.” Daily Capital News, Jefferson City, MO. 5-12-1934, p. 2.
–7 NFPA. Report of Important Dust Explosions. 1957, p. 50.
–6 Associated Press. “Blame Static for Fatal Blast.” Maryville Daily Forum, MO. 5-9-1934, p7.

Narrative Information

May 8: “St. Louis, Mo., May 8. 00 (U.P.) – One man was fatally burned and eleven others injured, ten critically, by a spontaneous combustion explosion and fire at the Continental Export Company’s 4,000,000 bushel elevator here today. The damage was estimated at $50,000. The dead man was Fred Laudscher, 46, an assistant weigher.” (United Press. “Fatal Explosion in St. Louis.” The Brookfield Argus, MO. 5-8-1934, p. 1.)

May 9: “St. Louis – (AP) – Fire department officials believed a spark of static electricity from a grain conveyor caused an explosion in the Missouri Pacific elevators here yesterday which resulted in six deaths and injuries to six others.” (Associated Press. “Blame Static for Fatal Blast.” Maryville Daily Forum, MO. 5-9-1934, p.7.)

May 9: “By the Associated Press. St. Louis, May 9. – Origin of a series of three sudden, violent gran dust explosions, which killed six employes of the Missouri Pacific elevator here yesterday, remained undetermined today. A coroner’s jury, after a brief inquest, returned a verdict of accident, but did not fix the cause of the blasts.

“Julius Mayer, vice president of the Continental Export company, which leases the elevator from the Missouri Pacific railroad, and other witnesses were agreed that a spark or flame set off the highly inflammable dust, but none was able to say what caused the spark or flame.

“St. Louis, May 9 – Two more men were near death this morning from injuries suffered in the Missouri Pacific grain elevator explosion which took six lives yesterday. Thomas Lukowski, 70-year-old oiler, was in a serious condition from burns suffered when his clothing caught fire and John Szepanski, 48, from effects of inhaling sulphuric fumes. Six other workers were burned and cut in the three sudden violent blasts which partly wrecked the 18-floor elevator, on the Mississippi river front. It is believed a static electricity spark from a grain conveyor caused the explosions.

“One victim, Stephen Gocal, 48-year-old labor foreman, was burned to death as he ran toward the fiver with his clothing aflame. Five others died in hospitals. Victims besides Gocal were: Fred Laubsher, 46, an assistant weigher; John Kovacic, 43, weigher; Edward Kelly, 56, weigher; Albert Kuehner, 47, oiler; Earl Strange, 25, laborer.

“Fire broke out in the 18-floor structure after the blasts and burned more than an hour. A fire captain, Joseph Olinger, was overcome by smoke and dust while directing firemen on the twelfth floor.” (Associated Press. “Burns Fatal For Six in Elevator Blast Tuesday.” The Sedalia Democrat, MO. 5-11-1934, p. 4.)

May 11: “St. Louis, May 11. – (AP) – The death list in Tuesday’s dust explosion at a Missouri Pacific grain elevator here mounted to seven today with the death of Thomas Lukowski, 70, a worker who died of burns. Lukowski was working on the top floor of the elevator at the time of the explosion and ran to the ground floor, where he collapsed. One man was killed instantly in the explosion and six others died of burns and other injuries. A federal investigation is being conducted into the origin of the blast.” (Associated Press. “Elevator Explosion Death Toll to 7.” Daily Capital News, Jefferson City, MO. 5-12-1934, p. 2.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Blame Static for Fatal Blast.” Maryville Daily Forum, MO. 5-9-1934, p.7. Accessed 3-12-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/maryville-daily-forum-may-09-1934-p-7/

Associated Press. “Burns Fatal For Six in Elevator Blast Tuesday.” The Sedalia Democrat, MO. 5-11-1934, p4. Accessed 3-12-2023: https://newspaperarchive.com/sedalia-democrat-may-11-1934-p-16/

Associated Press. “Elevator Explosion Death Toll to 7.” Daily Capital News, Jefferson City, MO. 5-12-1934, p. 2. Accessed 3-12-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/jefferson-city-daily-capital-news-may-12-1934-p-2/

National Fire Protection Association. Report of Important Dust Explosions: A Record of Dust Explosions in the United States and Canada Since 1860. Boston: NFPA, 1957.

United Press. “Fatal Explosion in St. Louis.” The Brookfield Argus, MO. 5-8-1934, p. 1. Accessed 3-12-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/brookfield-argus-may-08-1934-p-1/