1949 — April 10, Explosion, propane gas furnace leak, St. Mary’s Church, Marion, SD– 6

–6  Daily Republic (E. Brady) Mitchell, SD. “Mass Rites for 6 Blast Victims.” 4-11-1949, p. 1.

–6  United Press. “Blast Cause is Still Uncertain.” Daily Plainsman, Huron, SD, 4-15-1949, p.1.

 

Narrative Information

 

April 11: “Marion, S.D. — This small South Dakota town today planned a mass funeral for the six Holy Week worshippers killed Sunday [April 10] as a blast demolished St. Mary’s Catholic church….Forty-seven persons were injured, several critically….

 

“A gas leak in an almost new propane gas furnace and an arcing spark from an electrical connection were blamed for the blast Sunday which leveled the brick and wood church just 10 minutes before services were to start and left this Turner county community stunned.

 

“Phil Wachendorf, a parishioner, said ‘everything blew up’ when he threw a furnace switch….

 

“Approximately 150 of the expected 250 worshipers were in the church when the blast sent the floor ceilingward, pushed out the thick tile and brick walls and let the heavy roof tumble to the floor….Only the corner tower, topped by the belfry and the cross, withstood the shock of the explosion….” (Daily Republic, Mitchell, SD. “Mass Rites for 6 Blast Victims.” 4-11-1949, p. 1.)

 

April 15: “Sioux Falls, April 15. (UP) — The Palm Sunday explosion which killed six persons…at St. Mary’s Catholic Church at Marion, S. D., apparently was caused by a faulty gas furnace mechanism or a pipe leak, State Fire Marshal W. A. Mueller believes.

 

“The gas, Mueller said, was odorized in compliance with state law to aid persons to smell it if it were to escape from the system…

 

“Mueller said that janitor Phil Luke smelled gas when he entered the church basement last Sunday, and turned off both the gas supply and the furnace, which was electrically operated. Mueller said that a parishioner later turned on the furnace because the church was cold, and the explosion came after the switch was turned.” (UP. “Blast Cause is Still Uncertain.” Daily Plainsman, Huron, SD, 4-15-1949, p. 1.)

 

Sources

 

Daily Republic (E. M. Brady), Mitchell, SD. “Mass Rites for 6 Blast Victims. 47 Others Hurt in Explosion at Marion Church.” 4-11-1949, p. 1. Accessed 11-24-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/south-dakota/mitchell/mitchell-daily-republic/1949/04-11?tag

 

United Press. “Blast Cause is Still Uncertain.” Daily Plainsman, Huron, SD, 4-15-1949, p. 1. Accessed 11-24-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/south-dakota/huron/huron-huronite-and-daily-plainsman/1949/04-15?tag