1943 — Aug 19, naphtha vapors explosion, Congoleum-Nairn Inc. bldg. 12, Kearny, NJ– 12

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 4-21-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

—  13  Mason City Globe-Gazette, IA. “Death Toll Rises to 13 at Kearny, N.J.” 8-21-1943, p. 2.

—  12  Joplin Globe, MO. “Toll in Fire Increased to 12.” 8-22-1943, p. 11.

—  12  NFPA. “Congoleum-Nairn Co. Explosion.” Quarterly… 37/2, October 1943, p. 131.

—  12  NFPA. “Fires in ‘Fireproof’ Buildings.” Quarterly, Vol. 44, No. 1, July, 1950, p. 54.

Narrative Information

National Fire Protection Association. “Congoleum-Nairn Co. Explosion”:

“One of the most serious industrial fire losses affecting the war effort during the past summer was the result of an explosion that wrecked buildings of Congoleum-Nairn Company at Kearny, New Jersey, on August 19, 1943, causing a loss of 12 lives. The loss has been estimated in excess of $2,000,000, exclusive of losses due to interruption to production. In addition to the usual manufacture of linoleum, the section of the plant where the blast occurred was occupied by a tenant concern manufacturing camouflage materials for the Army.

Description of Property Involved.

“The building in which the explosion initiated was of reinforced concrete construction covering an area of 180 by 190 feet, and was known as Building No. 12. It contained eleven drying cells, each of which was 190 feet long, 12 feet wide, and 50-feet high. Cells 1 to 5 were used for linoleum drying. Cells 6 to 8 were used for camouflage drying following a waterproofing process. Cells 9 to 11 were mainly used for storage….The entire property was protected by a wet-pipe sprinkler system.

Processes Involved.

“…three of the drying cells were being used for the drying of camouflage which was the property of a tenant concern. The camouflage consisted of nets sewed into a continuous piece and passed through a bath of solution, then through rollers and into the top of a drying cell….It is reported that approximately 8 hours were required to charge one of the cells, and that more than a thousand gallons of naphtha solvent were required for a charge. Drying was accomplished by keeping the cells hot for a day by means of steam-heated drying cells….

Cause of the Explosion.

“The blast occurred at 5:530 p.m. in cell No. 8 just as steam was turned on for the drying process. Cell No. 6 was being turned off, and cell No. 7 was being emptied. The actual cause of the ignition, if known, has not been released by Army investigators. However, it is known that ordinary electric lights were in use at the time and could have caused the ignition of the vapors of the solvent, said to have consisted of 75 per cent naphtha.

Story of the Fire

“Twelve employees lost their lives as a result of being crushed by the heavy debris of the wrecked buildings. At least eight other persons were seriously injured.

“Fire was confined to the debris and was fought by fire apparatus and fireboats from five near-by cities. Several hundred sprinkler heads operated in the fire area and appear to have been generally helpful, although fire departments complained of low water pressure due to broken sprinkler lines of various sizes…”

National Fire Protection Association. “Fires in ‘Fireproof’ Buildings”: “The rubble in the foreground [photo not reproduced here] is all that remained of a reinforced concrete building 180 by 190 ft. in area and 50 ft. high following an explosion of naphtha vapors on August 19, 1943 at Kearny, N.J.  Twelve men were killed in the blast that originated in a drying cell used for drying cloth following a waterproofing process.” (National Fire Protection Association. “Fires in ‘Fireproof’ Buildings.” Quarterly, Vol. 44, No. 1, July, 1950, p. 54.)

Newspaper

Aug 20: “Kearny, N.J. (AP) – An explosion and fire destroyed three buildings of the huge Congoleum-Nairn, Inc., plant here last night, leaving a toll of three known dead and 15 injured, eight critically.  A company spokesman said eight others are missing.  Fire Chief Charles Burnett of Newark estimated that the number of missing would total 49….Burnett said the destruction apparently resulted from an explosion of cork and linoleum dust in the No. 12 building which created a blast ‘more terrific than dynamite.’

“Rescue workers dug for the missing under the wreckage of two buildings after firemen from four municipalities and two fireboats on the adjacent Passaic River fought the blazing ruins.  The third building was ignited by flames from the other two.  Burnett said steam-shovels would be brought into use in the search through the debris.

“At West Hudson Hospital, seven workers were admitted with critical injuries and three others whose injuries were less severe were treated and allowed to go home.  One of the latter, Andrew McArthur, 41, a machinist who was at work in an adjoining building when the explosion occurred, told of being knocked off his feet by the force of the blast.  ‘It was like a vacuum,’ said McArthur, ‘and all of a sudden there was a terrific explosion.  Debris fell all around me, then someone picked me up and up me in an ambulance.’  He said the explosion occurred between shifts when many of the buildings were only partly occupied.  A half hour later there would have been 300 men at work in the No. 12 building, he added.

“Another of the less seriously injured, Arthur Carter, who had been standing in a doorway of the building, said, ‘All I know, there was a tremendous explosion and the whole damn building fell down on us.’….

“The Congoleum-Nairn Co. is one of the world’s largest producers of linoleum products and had been working on war orders.”  (Troy Record, NY. “3 Die in Blast, 8 Missing.” 8-20-1943, p. 1.)

Aug 21: “Kearny, N.J. – (UP) – The death toll of the explosion that reduced a 6 story concrete building at the Congoleum-Nairn plant to rubble, rose to 13 Saturday and local police said it was possible 3 or 4 more victims were buried under the ruins. Rescue squads still searched through the  debris, which will require several days to remove.” (Mason City Globe-Gazette, IA. “Death Toll Rises to 13 at Kearny, N.J.” 8-21-1943, p. 2.)

Aug 22: “Kearny, N. J., Aug. 21. – (UP) — The search for victims of the explosion and fire at the Congoleum-Nairn , Inc., plant here ended today with the recovery of two additional bodies from the wreckage of building No. 12, a discovery which raised the death toll to 12.”  (Joplin Globe, MO. “Toll in Fire Increased to 12.” 8-22-1943, p. 11.)

Sources

Joplin Globe, MO. “Toll in Fire Increased to 12.” 8-22-1943, p. 11. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=166893291&sterm=kearny+explosion

Mason City Globe-Gazette, IA. “Death Toll Rises to 13 at Kearny, N.J.” 8-21-1943, p. 2. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=89860940&sterm=kearny+explosion

National Fire Protection Association. “Congoleum-Nairn Co. Explosion.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 37, No. 2, October 1943, pp. 127, 131.

National Fire Protection Association. “Fires in ‘Fireproof’ Buildings.” Quarterly, Vol. 44, No. 1, July, 1950.

Troy Record, NY. “3 Die in Blast, 8 Missing.” 8-20-1943, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=14183756&sterm=kearny+explosion