1953 — Jan 27, gas line leak explosion & fire, Jones Electric Co., other stores, Aiken, SC–10

–11 Aiken Standard and Review, SC. “City Rocked by Explosion.” 1-28-1953, p. 1.
–10 Aiken Standard and Review, SC. “Explosion Inquest Slated Tomorrow.” 2-12-1953, p. 1.
–10 Aiken Standard and Review, SC. “Holley Says Rumor Untrue.” 2-9-1953, p. 1.
–10 Aiken Standard. “Search for Explosion Victims Ends…Ten Bodies…Debris.” 1-29-1953, 1
–10 Florence Morning News, SC. “Coroner’s Jury Refuses Blame for Aiken Blast.” 2-14-53, 10
–10 NFPA. “Large Loss Fires of 1953.” Quarterly of the [NFPA], Vol. 47, No. 3, Jan 1954, 285
–10 National Fire Protection Assoc. Spreadsheet on Large Loss of Life Fires (as of Feb 2003).

Narrative Information

National Fire Protection Association: “Jan. 27, Aiken, S.C., Jones Electric Co., … 10 killed.

“Mercantile stores including an electrical appliance store, two drug stores, a department store and a ladies’-ready-to-wear store. A gas explosion severely damaged a group of mer¬cantile stores on Laurens Street and Richland Ave. killing 10 persons, injuring 5 and start¬ing a raging fire which required help from two outside fire departments to extinguish. Escaping gas was first detected about 4 P.M. on January 26. Shortly after 6 P.M., the owner instructed one of his employees to close the gas supply valve at the meter in the basement. When the store reopened at 8:00 A.M., January 27 a strong odor of gas was noticed. One of the employees opened all doors, started two pedestal type electric fans on the first floor and then joined other em¬ployees who were trying to locate the gas leak. The gas company was notified at 8:30 A.M. At 8:31, the explosion occurred.

“When the fire department arrived after a telephone alarm, the walls of the electrical appliance store were found blown down by the blast and this store, the adjoining Platt’s Drug Store and McCreary’s Department Store were enveloped in flames, making any rescue attempts in this area impossible. Help was requested from Augusta and the Atomic En¬ergy Commission Savannah River Project. Flames spread through the damaged brick walls and unprotected window openings to involve two other stores. Leaking gas from two one-inch gas service lines in the electrical appliance store and from one line in Mc¬Creary’s fed the flames.

“The gas responsible for this explosion was supplied by the utility company serving the community from its local plant. It consisted of butane diluted about 50 per cent with air before distribution to street mains at about 4 pounds per square inch pressure. The exact origin of the gas leak has not been reported, but some suspicion has been directed to the underground piping in an adjacent alley which is used by small trucks. The surface of the alley consists principally of soft, sandy type soil. The gas control valve in the elec¬trical appliance store was found in a closed position after the debris was removed.” (NFPA. “Large Loss Fires of 1953.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 47, No. 3, Jan 1954, pp. 231-325.)

Newspapers:

Jan 28: “At least eleven persons lost their lives yesterday in what has been termed the worst disaster in local history. An electric spark in a gas filled building caused an explosion which rocked the greater part of the city early yesterday morning at 8:31 o’clock shattering windows in an area covering at least four square blocks. The scene of the explosion, which completely razed one building and caused fire which destroyed three others, was the Jones Electric Company on Laurens Street.

“Fire spread quickly to level buildings occupied by Liles Drug Company, R. W. McCreary’s, Platt’s Drug Store and the Diana Shop.

“Crashing walls trapped employees and customers in the stores. Some not killed instantly died in the flames as blast furnace heat drove back rescuers.

“The Aiken Fire Department answered the call immediately and fire fighting units from the Savannah River Project, Augusta and Graniteville joined the local fire fighters in their frantic efforts to contain the blaze and rescue those trapped in the buildings. Firemen brought the fires under control at approximately 12:30 P.M., but not until the five business houses were total losses. Early yesterday, Mayor Charles M. Jones estimated the damage to be somewhat in excess of $2,000,000.

“At one time as the fire raged, Holley Hardware was threatened and workers rushed to clear the building of explosives and ammunition. A fire wall between the Hardware store and Platt’s Drug store saved the establishment from certain destruction.

“Even as this paper went to press last night, thousands stood quietly behind the restraining police lines, watching as workers dug into the rubble in an effort to recover the bodies of those known trapped beneath. Giant floodlights erected yesterday afternoon lit the smoldering piles of debris. Occasionally the fallen timbers flamed up only to be quickly extinguished by the waiting firemen, some of whom had been on the job since early morning.

“The first body to be recovered was that of Miss Mae Weeks at 6:15 last night. Miss Weeks, who was 61 years of age, had been an employe at the 79-year-old McCreary store for some 30 or 35 years. The body of Miss Weeks was identified by her shoe. One leg was missing.

“Coroner Jimmy Gregory, on the scene last night, said that the bodies of Mr. David O. Bothard [unclear], Mr. John C. Watson, and Miss Emily McCarlen [unclear], all employees of Jones Electric Company, have been recovered and identified.

“Jimmy Jones, son of Mr. W. O. Jones, owner of the store, had gone to the basement when he noticed the smell of gas. When he turned on an electric fan to clear the air, the explosion occurred. Mr. Jones was thrown through the window of the building and is in the Aiken County hospital suffering from first degree burns. Late last night hospital attaches said that Mr. Jones was resting as comfortably as could be expected and there was a good chance of his recovery unless complications set in.

“Those persons believed to have been in the buildings but still listed as missing are: Nelson Long, Mrs. W. M. Duncan, Jack Neibling [foreman], Jack Holley, Miss Ruth Madrey, and ‘Bubba’ Moseley [janitor].

“Martial law has been declared in the city because of obvious dangers, and the fact that many windows fronting stores have not been replaced. Mayor Jones has said that all business houses would be closed throughout today….

“Russell Owens, electric…[word unclear] of the company said that when he went to work the fumes were so bad that he became nauseated and went across the street to get a cup of coffee. He stated that one of the employes had remarked that if the gas fumes were not stopped that the whole place would be blown ‘sky-high.’ Miss McCarter was quoted as saying that ‘this kind of gas doesn’t explode.’ Mr. Owens said he rushed to the scene and was helping get the injured out of Platt’s Drug Store, when he realized he had just missed being killed by a few seconds. ‘I guess my time had not come,’ he said.

“The Atlanta Gas Company officials were here all day yesterday and stated that they are investigating the cause of the explosion and would have no statement to make until such a time as the investigation had been completed….” (Aiken Standard and Review, SC. “City Rocked by Explosion.” 1-28-1953, p. 1.)

Jan 28: “Aiken, Jan. 28…. The 200-odd DuPont workers from the H-Bomb plant [Savannah River Project] took over the rescue operations and Aiken town fathers were glad. Chief of Police Frampton Gregory said it was the arrival of fire trucks from the plant that prevented the fire after the explosion from getting even worse and destroying the entire business section. Aiken has three fire trucks with a 900-gallon-a-minute-pumping capacity….” (Florence Morning News, SC. “Tragedy Stalks Aiken as Town Mourns Dead.” 1-29-1953, p. 1.)

Jan 29: “A 24-hour search for victims of a flaming explosion here ended at 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon after the last of 10 bodies was recovered from the ruins. Four others were hospitalized with injuries after the blast. Some 200 men worked throughout the night and part of yesterday with cranes and power shovels in the hunt for bodies in the debris. The last of the ten victims to be removed from the ruins of the blast-fire which has been termed the worst disaster in the city’s history was Miss Ruth Madrey, employe of Jones Electric Company, where the explosion occurred.

“Bodies of Miss Mae Weeks, David O. Rutland, J. S. Watson, and Miss Emilie McCarter were removed by firemen and identified by Coroner Jimmy Gregory late Tuesday night. Removed and identified early yesterday were the remains of Mrs. W. M. Duncan, Charles Nelson Long, Jack Neibling, Jack Holley, and ‘Bubba’ Moseley….

“The Savannah River Project officials took complete charge of the clearing operations, and brought in many tons of heavy equipment to speed the job. Giant cranes, bull dozers, and trucks worked steadily tearing away dangerous walls to enable workers to remove the beams and tons of brick and rubble which they feared covered more victims of the holocaust. After the last of the ten bodies had been removed, 11 plant men and equipment were withdrawn and local authorities resumed the task of controlling the crowds and hauling away the debris….

“Mrs. Marie Chandler, Jimmy Jones, and John Mundy, survivors of the disaster, are in fair condition according to a report received late last night from the Aiken County Hospital….

“A bill was introduced in the South Carolina House of Representatives yesterday which would create a five-man board to investigate the use of commercial gas in South Carolina. This bill came as a result of the Tuesday explosion here….” (Aiken Standard and Review, SC. “Search for Explosion Victims Ends with Recovery of Ten Bodies From Debris.” 1-29-1953, p. 1.)

Feb 12: “A coroner’s jury will assemble in the Aiken county courtroom tomorrow at 2:30 p. m. to decide by what means the persons killed in the recent gas explosion came by their death, and to decide whether the blame can be placed on any living person or persons, Coroner Jim Gregory said yesterday. Coroner Gregory said he has decided to hold the inquest in the courtroom due to the fact that large number of spectators are expected. Ten of Aiken’s finest citizens were killed, most of them apparently instantly, in the holocaust that swept away five Laurens street business establishments….” (Aiken Standard and Review, SC. “Explosion Inquest Slated Tomorrow.” 2-12-1953, p. 1.)

Feb 13: “Aiken, S.C., Feb. 13 (AP) – A coroner’s jury tonight refused to blame anyone for the Jan. 27 explosion and fire that killed 10 persons here. The jury found that the victims ‘came to their deaths as a result of an explosion caused by leaking gas, and placing blame on no one in particular.’ The jury returned its verdict at 8 p.m., five hours after the inquest began in the crowded Aiken County Courthouse….The jury listened to testimony by eight witnesses including W. O. Jones, owner of the Jones Electric Co. where the blast originated, two of Jones’ employes, officials of the Atlanta Gas and Light Co., J. C. Lathrop. Chief engineer for the State Public Service Commission, A. H. Neinstien, an investigator for the Stale Insurance Commission, and Aiken Fire Chief Frank Harley.” (Florence Morning News, SC. “Coroner’s Jury Refuses Blame for Aiken Blast.” 2-14-1953, p. 10.)

Sources

Aiken Standard and Review, SC. “City Rocked by Explosion.” 1-28-1953, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=119056284&sterm=aiken+explosion

Aiken Standard and Review, SC. “Explosion Inquest Slated Tomorrow.” 2-12-1953, p. 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=113133876&sterm=aiken+jones+explosion

Aiken Standard and Review, SC. “Holley Says Rumor Untrue.” 2-9-1953, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=113133864&sterm=aiken+jones+explosion

Aiken Standard and Review, SC. “Search For Explosion Victims Ends with Recovery of Ten Bodies From Debris.” 1-29-1953, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=113133826&sterm=aiken+explosion

Florence Morning News, SC. “Coroner’s Jury Refuses Blame for Aiken Blast.” 2-14-1953, p. 10.
http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=48815630&sterm=aiken+jones+explosion

Florence Morning News, SC. “Tragedy Stalks Aiken as Town Mourns Dead.” 1-29-1953, p. 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=51805309&sterm=aiken+explosion

National Fire Protection Association. “Large Loss Fires of 1953.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 47, No. 3, Jan 1954, pp. 231-325.

National Fire Protection Association. Spreadsheet on Large Loss of Life Fires (as of Feb 2003). (Email attachment to B. W. Blanchard from Jacob Ratliff, NFPA Archivist/Taxonomy Librarian, 7-8-2013.)