1945 — May 25, Edgewood Arsenal firebomb igniter explosion, Aberdeen, MD       —     12

Last edit Dec 5, 2023 by Wayne Blanchard for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

 –12  AP. “12 Killed, 51 Hurt In Arsenal Blast.” Ogden Standard Examiner, UT. 5-27-1945, p. 1.

–12  Chavez. “APG leaders honor women, WWII civilians at wreath…ceremony.”  3-9-2011.

–12  Moran. Explosive Accident Summary: [WW] II. DoD Explosives Safety Board, 1992, p130.

–12  Walker, et al. WP [white phosphorus] Casualties at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland, 1945. 1969, p3.

Narrative Information

Chavez: “Aberdeen Proving Ground [APG], Md. — Leadership from Aberdeen Proving Ground led a wreath-laying ceremony at the Edgewood area today to honor the local civilians who died during World War II and to recognize women’s contributions as part of National Women’s History Month. The wreath was laid at a monument completed at the Edgewood area in 1946 honoring civilians who died during World War II. The inscription on the monument reads, “In honored memory of those civilian employees of Edgewood Arsenal who made the supreme sacrifice for their country.” 

“”This monument recognizes that 37 civilians perished in World War II in service to their nation, all associated with Edgewood and Aberdeen Proving Ground. Twenty of them were killed in action and 17 died right here on Edgewood. Of that 17 that were killed here, at least 13 of them were women and 12 were killed in one day,” Col. Orlando Ortiz, APG Garrison commander, said at the ceremony.

“On May 25, 1945, an igniter for a firebomb prematurely exploded at a building at Edgewood injuring 57 men and women and killing 12, all of whom were women….”  (Chavez, Marques. “APG leaders honor women, WWII civilians at wreath-laying ceremony.” 3-9-2011.)

Moran: “Edgewood Arsenal…Aberdeen, MD…05/25/45…LAP [?]…Igniters, M13…Air Tool…12 [dead]…50 [injured].”  (Moran, Edward P. Jr. Explosive Accident Summary: World War II. DoD Explosives Safety Board, Aug 1992, p. 130.)

Walker, et al.: “….A report is presented on twenty-seven casualties with WP [white phosphorus] burns and four casualties with respiratory tract injury due to inhalation of WP smoke, resulting from four accidents in plants processing WP munitions at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland.

“Nine patients were dead on arrival at the station hospital as a result of third degree burns of 90% or more of the body surface in each case. Eighteen patients with WP burns were admitted to the hospital. Three of these patients with third degree burns of 35% or more of the body surface died within nineteen hours after admission to the hospital. The remaining fifteen patients survived. Four of these had third degree burns of 8-19% of the body-surface, in addition to second degree burns. Eleven of the patients had burns of 5% or less area third degree.

“Four patients sustained laryngitis and tracheobronchitis from inhalation of highly concentrated WP smoke in a small room. Two of these patients had residual hoarseness eight months following injury.

“….Two patients with 8-15% third degree burns developed massive hemolytic reactions of unknown etiology about twenty-four hours after injury, lasting about seventy-two hours. Both patients received intravenously one-sixth molar sodium lactate to maintain alkalinity of the urine, as well as multiple transfusions. Both patients survived with no demonstrable renal damage….”

(Walker, James Jr., et al. WP [white phosphorus] Casualties at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland, 1945. Dept. of the Army, Edgewood Arsenal Research Laboratories, January 1969, p.3.]

Contemporary Newspaper Report:

May 25: “Edgewood Arsenal, Md., May 25 – (AP) — Flames were still raging in the army’s chemical warfare service buildings today three hours after an explosion in which nine persons were reported killed and 52 injured. All of the injured were taken to the station hospital and the army’s Third service command in Baltimore said two of them were critically hurt and in dying condition.

“Outsiders were banned from the arsenal area immediately after the blast which occurred at 2:28 p.m., although the army made no announcement of the explosion until 4:15 p.m. Lieutenant Colonel Paul McGahan, assistant public relations officer of the service command, said that for national security reasons no information as to the cause or extent of the blast could be released immediately.  He said that the explosion occurred in the loading area. The caution against outsiders also was because of possible danger, he said.

“Names of the dead and injured were not yet available, and McGahan added that it had been impossible to get into the area to determine extent of the loss or whether all persons in the area had been accounted for. A heavy guard detail operated around the scene.

“A special board of officers was named immediately by Brigadier General Ray L. Avery, Edgewood commanding officer, to conduct an investigation.

“Persons living in the nearby area said they were not aware that an explosion had taken place, and several explained that ‘we are used to explosions and big gunfire, since the Aberdeen proving ground is just across the river from Edgewood arsenal and they always are testing guns at Aberdeen’.” (Joplin Globe, Mo. “9 Reported Dead, 52 Hurt in Blast at Army Arsenal,” 5-26-1945, p. 1.)

May 26, AP: “Edgewood, Md., May 26 (AP) – Twelve persons killed and 51 injured, four critically, was the toll Saturday of an explosion and fire at historic Edgewood arsenal, the first major accident there since the start of the war. A special army board of inquiry is investigating the blast which rocked the station, headquarters of the army’s chemical warfare service, shortly after three p.m. yesterday. It occurred in a building filled with civilian workers assembling and loading two-pound igniter hand grenades.

“This and an adjacent building were devastated by the explosion and subsequent flames which burned for several hours.

“Eight of the dead, badly burned by phosphorus, have been identified. Eighteen of the injured were confined to the station hospital. Thirty-four others were treated and returned to duty. All were civilians.

“An eye witness, Major John D. McPherson, chief of the Edgewood arsenal production division, said he ‘heard a terrific explosion and saw a great ball of flame shoot into the air, followed by a pillar of white smoke.” (Associated Press. “12 Killed, 51 Hurt In Arsenal Blast.” The Ogden Standard Examiner, UT. 5-27-1945, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “12 Killed, 51 Hurt In Arsenal Blast.” The Ogden Standard Examiner, UT. 5-27-1945, p. 1. Accessed 12-5-2023 at:

https://newspaperarchive.com/ogden-standard-examiner-may-27-1945-p-1/

Charleston Gazette, WV. “Flames Sweep Arsenal After Blast Kills 9.” 5-26-1945, p. 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=40460629&sterm=aberdeen+explosion

Chavez, Marques. “APG leaders honor women, WWII civilians at wreath-laying ceremony.” www.army.mil, 3-9-2011. Accessed at: http://www.army.mil/article/53025/ )

Joplin Globe, MO. “9 Reported Dead, 52 Hurt in Blast at Army Arsenal,” 5-26-1945, p. 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=166895215&sterm=aberdeen+explosion

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

Walker, James Jr., et al. WP Casualties at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland, 1945. Edgewood Arsenal, MD: Department of the Army, Edgewood Arsenal Research Laboratories, Edgewood Arsenal Special Publication EASP 100-51, January 1969. Accessed 12-5-2023 at: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/AD0682716.pdf