1942 — March 4, TNT melt tower explosion, Iowa Ordnance Plant, Burlington, IA    —     22

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 6-29-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

—  22  Charleston Gazette, WV.  “Carelessness Fights on Side of U.S. Foe,” March 30, 1942.

—  22  Moran. Explosive Accident Summary: [WW] II. DoD Explosives Safety Board, 1992, 116.

—  22  Muscatine Journal, IA. “Operation of Valve…Probable Cause of Blast,” Mar 12, 1942.

—  22  NFPA  “Fires Causing Large Loss of Life.  1984 NFPA Handbook. 1983, p. 34.

Narrative Information

Moran:  “Five days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the first World War II melt tower detonated at Iowa, killing 13 and injuring 53. Three months later on 4 March 1942, a second melt tower detonated with 22 fatalities and 84 injuries. The second accident caused a high loss of life because it occurred during shift change. These events were used to critically examine the safety of melt towers throughout the complex, resulting in hundreds of engineering changes and vast improvements in the operation of these units.” (Moran, Edward P. Jr. Explosive Accident Summary: World War II. DoD Explosives Safety Board, Aug 1992, pp. 115-116.)

 

Newspaper

 

March 12, Muscatine Journal: “Burlington, Ia. – (AP) – Vigorous operation of a valve controlling TNT flow is considered the most likely cause of the death-dealing Iowa ordnance plant explosion March 4, in the opinion of the ordnance department safety board….Twenty-two workmen died in the blast, which demolished a TNT melt unit, and more than 50 were injured. A similar disaster Dec. 12 killed 13….

 

“The equipment is ‘not absolutely foolproof’ and ‘changes will be made in the draw-off valve system to make it more foolproof before resuming operations,’ the report said in part…. ‘The contractors (Day & Zimmerman, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa.) have operated the plant conscientiously and with vigor,’ it continued….” (Muscatine Journal, IA. “Operation of Valve Regarded As Probable Cause of Blast,” March 12, 1942, p. 1.)

 

Sources

 

Charleston Gazette, WV. “Carelessness Fights on Side of U.S. Foe,” 3-30-1942.  Accessed at:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=40389391

 

Moran, Edward P. Jr. Explosive Accident Summary: World War II. DoD Explosives Safety Board, Aug 1992. Accessed 4-19-2013: http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA507027

 

Muscatine Journal, IA. “Operation of Valve Regarded As Probable Cause of Blast,” March 12, 1942, p. 1.  At:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=96773361

 

National Fire Protection Association.  “Fires Causing Large Loss of Life.” Handbook of Fire Protection (11th Ed.).  Boston, MA: NFPA, 1954, pp. 33-36.