1951 — Sep 17, Dubbs 17 cracking unit explosion & fire, Shell Refinery, Wood River, IL–18

–18 Alton Evening Telegraph, IL. “Coroner’s Jury…Deaths in Shell Blast….” 10-25-1951, p. 1.
–18 Madison County Historical Society. “Post-War Setbacks and Growth.” (citing Meisenhemer).

Narrative Information

Sep 18: “Thirteen men were dead this afternoon following one of the worst disasters in the history of the Alton area. Seventeen other men were seriously injured, and several others badly burned. A cracking unit at Shell Oil Co. plant at Roxana exploded and flashed at 8:15 p.m. Monday, workmen said. Of the 30 men victims of the flash, four were killed instantly, their bodies charred beyond recognition. Eight others died before dawn. Many of the 18 remaining in three hospitals of the area are in critical condition from first, second and third degree burns.

“All ambulances of Alton, East Alton and Wood River were called out. Police escorted the wailing caravan of disaster to Alton Memorial, St. Joseph’s and Wood River Township hospitals. All available nurses and doctors were called to duty and the emergency rooms, operating rooms and corridors of the hospitals were jammed….

“The Dubbs 17 cracking unit was being prepared for a routine cleanout, a company spokesman said — a job that is carried out periodically. With the crew of 50 men was a safety man. The Dubbs unit is about 150 feet high. Its over-all size is greater than an ordinary city business building. On the outside of such a unit are trestles. Inside are a room housing automatic controls, another housing the pumps. All the men killed or injured were outside the unit when the blast set off the fire that brought death to at least a dozen men, a company spokesman said….” (Alton Evening Telegraph, IL. “13 Men Killed in Oil Plant Blast.” 9-18-1951, p. 1.)

Sep 18: “Wood River, Ill., Sept. 18. – (AP) — A terrific explosion rocked the big Shell Oil Co., refinery here last night killing 12 workmen. About 20 persons were injured seriously. The explosion occurred at one of the refinery’s large oil cracking units where a special night crew was working. Panic broke out as flames lashed out from the explosion and enveloped workers. Four bodies were recovered soon after the blast. Seven other men died at hospitals a few hours later. “I saw men knocked to the ground,” Willie Burchell, 47, of East Alton, III, a boilermaker’s helper, said. “They were screaming and begging for help, running with their clothes afire.”

“Burchell was atop a pumphouse, 20 feet above the ground. There were four or five explosions beneath him. Blocked by flames, he reached safety by sliding down an eight-inch pipe to the ground where flames licked at his legs as he leaped.

“The seriously injured were rushed to hospitals here and at Alton, Ill. All were badly burned. Other injured were treated at the refinery. A flash fire following the explosion shot flames more than 60 feet into the air. It was quickly snuffed out, by company firefighters, but the intense heat hung on keeping rescue workers from probing deep into the debris.

“Cause of the explosion — the second major mishap at the refinery in less than a month — was not definitely determined. A company spokesman said a number of things may have caused it, including a pocket of gas or static electricity. A company official estimated damage might exceed $100,000.

“Only last August 21 a fire created by lightning striking a gasoline storage tank caused $175,000 damage.

“Normally 14 to 16 men are in the night crew, but approximately 40 men were in the area as members of a special cleaning unit at the time of the explosion. L. F. Smith, working about 100 feet away from the cracking unit which breaks down crude oil into high test gas, said the blast ‘shook our building like a leaf’.” (Greeley Daily Tribune, CO. “Shell Refinery Illinois Blast Kills 12 Men.” 9-18-1951.)

Sep 19: “The death this morning of Robert Corrigan of Bethalto raised to 15 the number of men who lost their lives in Monday night’s fire and explosion at Shell Oil Co. refinery at Roxana. Fourteenth victim of the blast, John Lawrence McLagan, 36, of Alton, died during the night….

“Four men were killed outright in the Dubbs 17 unit explosion at the refinery, eight died before dawn, and another succumbed Tuesday afternoon….

“John L. McLagan….is survived by his widow…and two boys, Lawrence, 5, and John, 3….

“Robert Corrogan was 36 years old, and with his wife and two children moved to Alton from Bethalto a month ago….” (Alton Evening Telegraph, IL. “Oil Plant Disaster Death Toll Mounts to Total of 15.” 9-19-1951, p. 1.)

Sep 19: “What was believed to be the largest one day civilian blood donation through Bloodmobile operations ever recorded in the U.S, yielded 779 pints at the Onized Club, Broadway and Pearl street, Tuesday. The 779 donors responded to a wide appeal following the Shell disaster Monday night. Of 852 volunteers who appeared there were 69 rejects….” (Alton Evening Telegraph, IL. “Blood Donors Give 779 Pints to Set Record.” 9-19-1951, p. 1.)

Sep 19: “Investigation continued today into the explosion and fire at the Shell Oil Co. refinery at Roxana that took the lives of at least 15 men. No cause had been determined today, said company executives, for the blast and fire, Monday night, in the Dubbs 17 cracking unit.

“One section of the huge cracking plant was being cleaned, a routine, periodical procedure in oil refineries. The second section was operating, also normal procedure. The unit to be cleaned first was drained of oil, then was filled with steam to dissipate whatever oil vapors might have remained. Next, the unit was filled with water, and drained. Next, all valves were closed, to seal off the chamber.

“As an extra precaution, a ‘blind’ was applied to each oil line. This is done by bolting a flange on each oil line, to assure complete shut-off. Then the men prepared to enter the unit to clean out the residue of the cracking process. All but one bolt had been removed from a flange on a line at the bottom of the chamber — first step in gaining entry — when the explosion came. Whether a small flash came first, followed by explosion, then a big flash of fire, or whether the explosion came first, still was undetermined.

“A safety man was with the crew of 50, a company executive said, to see that all precautions were taken. This is normal procedure at the refinery, which employs nine safety men for this and other work at the oil plant.

“Dubbs units are operated to “crack” the crude oil – remove heavier portions in the manufacture
of gasoline. The chambers are heated to 700 to 750 degrees Fahrenheit in this process. The unit, of course, is cooled down before the cleaning process is undertaken.

“Stanley Clulow, vice-president in charge of operations, with offices in New York, is at the Roxana offices of Shell, assisting with the investigation.” (Alton Evening Telegraph, IL. “Officials at Shell Continue Probe of Cause.” 9-19-1951, 1.)

Sep 21: “Investigation of the accident at Shell Oil Co. refinery which took the lives of 16 men and injured 14 others has indicated that the fire resulted from the ignition of some oil that had been trapped in the bottom of a vessel and which flowed out when the vessel was opened.

“This was the statement today of a company spokesman, about the results of the inquiry into the Dubbs 17 fire and explosion Monday night at Roxana. It was pointed out that the procedure used in preparing the vessel for a cleanout is to drain the oil from the vessel to a remote point, then to pass steam through to remove the oil vapors, and then to fill the vessel with water as a further aid to elimination of the oil vapors. The water is drained through a pipe line to a remote tank. A small quantity, however, may remain in the bottom of the vessel and this is removed by opening a valve on a smaller drain line. All valves on pipe lines connected to the vessel are closed and as an added precaution to prevent oil from entering the vessel, “blinds” are installed in these lines.

“On the date of the fire this procedure was being followed and when no more water came from the small drain line work proceeded toward removal of the bolts from a flange at the bottom of the vessel. When the flange was opened a quantity of water followed by some oil issued from the pipe. This oil ignited, resulting in the fire. The exact cause of the ignition is unknown. As there was no open flames and no welding going on in the area it is probable that the ignition occurred as a result of the oil coming in contact with hot oil or steam lines located nearby.

“This flow of water and oil from the opening where the flange had been disconnected indicates that apparently the small drain line had become clogged so that not all of the liquid was drained from the vessel when the drain line was opened to check for completeness of drainage.

“Equipment damage was mainly the electrical wiring, insulation and paint. Replacement cost is estimated at approximately $30,000.

“Representatives of the division of factory inspection of the Illinois Department of Labor and the State Fire Marshall have participated in this investigation.

“Stanley Clulow of New York, vice-president of Shell Oil Co., and L.A. Lohman, superintendent of administration at the Roxana refinery, visited the hospitals Thursday and talked with the men injured in the explosion and fire.

“Chicago, Sept. 21 (AP) – The state industrial commission chairman will supervise hearings in Wood River next week to set compensation for dependents of 16 persons killed and others injured in the refinery explosion there. B. J. Knight said yesterday he will go to Wood River early next week. Hearings to determine the amount of liability in each case and the manner in which it will be paid will be held before Thomas Q. Keefe of East St. Louis, a commission arbitrator. Death claims benefits will range from $6,800 to $9,600, depending on the number of dependents, Knight said. The more than 20 injured workers will receive temporary total disability benefits.” (Alton Evening Telegraph, IL. “Blame Trapped Oil Ignition For Disaster.” 9-21-1951, p. 1.)

Sep 22: “Death of Bruce Bailey, 25, in Wood River Township Hospital at 9:55 p. m. Friday raised to 17 the toll of the Shell Oil Co. refinery blast Monday night.

“Listed as in critical condition this morning at the Wood River hospital were Horace Edgar of Wood River and Joseph Ahrling, Alton, two of the 12 blast victims remaining at three local hospitals….

“Bailey was a resident of the Brushy Grove trailer court No. 2 at Wood River. He came to the Wood River area last February from Hardin and had worked at the Luer Bros. Packing Co., until
four months ago when he took the job at Shell. He was reared in Batchtown. Nine months ago he married Arvella Gresham of Kampsville, who survives him….” (Alton Evening Telegraph, IL. “Bruce Bailey 17th Victim of Refinery Fire.” 9-22-1951, p. 1.)

Sep 25: “Coroner’s juries shortly before Wednesday midnight returned verdicts of “accidental” death in 18 fatalities that resulted from the Sept. 17 blast at Shell Oil Co. Wood River refinery at Roxana. The juries also made four recommendations aimed at preventing a similar future disaster.

“A crowd estimated at 100 persons attended the inquests in the city court room of Alton city hall.
Spectators included mostly employes of Shell, company representatives and several women, presumably kin of dead or injured.

“Seventeen witnesses testified. The verdict, which was applied to all deaths, stated:

Cause of death: First, second and third degree burns suffered on Sept, 17, 1951, at 8:16 p. m. in an explosion and fire at a unit known as Dubbs 17 of Shell Oil Co., Wood River refinery, at Roxana, Ill. Cause of fire apparently was accidental drainage of oil on hot pipes in a trench at the base of the unit, which caused vaporization and flash fire.

Corrective Steps

We, the jury, recommend the Shell Oil Co. refinery take the following corrective steps to prevent a similar future disaster:

(1.) To again review the shutdown procedure with employes, to be sure they are familiar with it and follow established procedures;

(2.) Replace the trench plates with subway grating to eliminate gas concentration;

(3.) On concrete curb walls of all similar units at the openings of column skirts, to confine drainage from the columns to the skirt area where an oil sewer drain is
located;

(4.) Reduce the number of personnel to a practical minimum until the plant is completely
drained and, opened.

“In the mass of testimony recorded at the inquests, a significant point was included in a statement by a representative of the division of factories inspection of the Illinois Department of Labor, Arvie Tienson of Chicago, who said he “could not honestly say” the responsibility for the disaster could be attached to any individual or individuals or that a physical defect in the unit could be the cause by itself. He said a combination of circumstances involving the human and mechanical elements was the cause, so far as he could determine. Investigators of Tienson’s division inspected the scene of the blast and questioned witnesses.

“O. E. McCoy, an operator at Shell and president of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 525, which includes Shell employes, testified that one condition varied from the usual procedure at Dubbs 17 just prior to the blast. He said the unit formerly was shutdown Sunday noon prior to the Monday cleanout procedure, but on the day of the tragic blast, it had been shut down on Monday at 1 a. m. Thus, he said, there was “delayed” timing on the shutdown and more workers were around the unit when the blast happened. Under Sunday shutdown practice, he testified , there would not have been as many workers there Monday evening and implied that, therefore, there would not have been as many injured or killed.

“Much of the testimony consisted of technical explanations of the working of the Dubbs unit. One witness, G. C. Cunningham, Edwardsville, superintendent of operations at the refinery, explained with a diagram and photographs how the unit works. Oil that had collected in the trench at the bottom of the unit apparently came from two sources — one a leaking pipe and the other a spray of oily gasoline out of a pipe at the bottom of a big container. The latter liquid had collected because a drain pipe was “coked up” (stopped up) and the liquid had not drained off.

“C. L. Shirley, Hartford, who pounded on the bottom stopped-up pipe to clear it, reported a flow of liquid – oily gasoline and water – had gushed forth in a spray, apparently when the pounding suddenly opened the pipe.

“Most descriptive testimony was that of Raymond A. Neuhaus…an operator on Dubbs 17, who said in part:

Shortly after 8 p.m., J. R. Sullivan (died in blast) and myself were seated in a control room discussing working conditions and Mr. McMillen (also died in blast) entered the control room through the south door and asked for Mr. Boyd. I asked him what was the trouble and he said there was a flash on flash chamber.

During the conversation I moved toward the south door where he was standing. He had blown an air code whistle twice — it is used to call various workers including foremen. I told him to go ahead, that I would continue to call the foreman.

As I reached the south door I saw the fire…I blew the air code twice…started to enter the main pump room to help McMillen and Sullivan with the usual work of putting out a fire. I stopped momentarily to blow a blast on the horn. McMillen was 60 feet away, standing in the doorway and Sullivan was 15 feet behind him. McMillen raised his left hand in a gesture and hesitated. At this point I had turned my head to see if Mr. Boyd had entered the room.

There was a puffing noise…followed by a loud blast. Flame entered the main pump soon through the south door and extended about midway across the room…I was blown back from the door. I did see one man running toward me in flames. I heard someone say, ‘Close the door.’ Others said ‘Get back.’ Another cried, ‘My eyes! I can’t see!’

There was a man lying on the floor of the control room. His clothes were on fire. I later found out it was Mr. Biggs (died later). He cried, ‘Oh my God! Do something!’

This seemed to arouse me. I was lying seven feet from him. I extinguished the fire on his clothing. Gavin Crandall procured a fire blanket and we wrapped him in it. I called the ambulances and help…

“Coroner Ben F. Staten conducted the inquests, assisted by Asst. State’s Attorney Paul Reis and Deputy Coroner Edwin Marks. The Shell company was represented by counsel, J. F. Schlafly.” (Alton Evening Telegraph, IL. “Coroner’s Jury Labels Deaths in Shell Blast as Accidental.” 10-25-1951, p. 1.)

Sources

Alton Evening Telegraph, IL. “13 Men Killed in Oil Plant Blast.” 9-18-1051, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=117707058

Alton Evening Telegraph, IL. “Blame Trapped Oil Ignition For Disaster.” 9-21-1951, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=117707100

Alton Evening Telegraph, IL. “Blood Donors Give 779 Pints to Set Record.” 9-19-1951, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com

Alton Evening Telegraph, IL. “Bruce Bailey 17th Victim of Refinery Fire.” 9-22-1951, 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=117707110

Alton Evening Telegraph, IL. “Coroner’s Jury Labels Deaths in Shell Blast as Accidental.” 10-25-1951, 1. At: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=117707427

Alton Evening Telegraph, IL. “Officials at Shell Continue Probe of Cause.” 9-19-1951, 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com

Alton Evening Telegraph, IL. “Oil Plant Disaster Death Toll Mounts to Total of 15.” 9-19-1951, p1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=117707068

Alton Evening Telegraph, IL. “Pay Respects to 16 Victims of Disaster.” 9-20-1951, 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=117707080

Greeley Daily Tribune, CO. “Shell Refinery Illinois Blast Kills 12 Men.” 9-18-1951. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=52010590

Madison County Historical Society. “Post-War Setbacks and Growth.” Cites Harold Meisenhemer. Oil Companies (scrapbook). Available at the Madison County Archival Library. Accessed 6-22-2023 at: https://madcohistory.org/online-exhibits/wood-river-refinerys-first-100-years/post-war-setbacks-and-growth/