1932 – April 14, Natural Gas Explosion, State Office Building, Columbus, OH            —    10

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 1-16-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–10  AP. “Rule On Blast Loss Due Today.” The Portsmouth Times, OH. 4-19-1932, p. 1.

–10  NFPA. “Gas Explosions.” Quarterly of the [NFPA], Vol. 43, No. 4, April 1950, p. 297.

–10  NFPA.  “State Office Building Explosion…” NFPA Quarterly, Vol. 26, July 1932, p. 55.

Narrative Information

National Fire Protection Association, 1932: “The new state office building in Columbus, Ohio, was seriously damaged by an explosion about 2:40 p.m. on Thursday April 14, 1932. The building was in process of construction and a large number of workmen were in the structure at the time engaged in completing the interior decorating and installing fixtures. Seven men were killed and three more have since died of injuries; 53 others were injured….

“The building, which was scheduled to be turned over to the state on May 15, cost about $4,000,000 and is situated in the heart of the city on the east bank of the Scioto River. The main structure is twelve stories high, covering an area of about 29,000 square feet with a two-story addition 45 feet wide running the entire length of the west front….

“The explosion occurred without warning at mid-afternoon while the building was filed with workmen engaged in completing the interior work. The center of pressure from the explosion seems to have been just west of the main bank of elevators in the sub-basement. The basement floor overhead was entirely blown off, as was the central portion of the first floor embracing an area about 70 x 160 feet. In this area the concrete floors were raised clear of the supporting steel girders and then fell back into the basement, leaving the girders with a portion of the fireproofing still adhering to them.

“The force of the explosion traveled up the elevator shafts, blowing out the partition walls on both sides in every story. The pressure thus released wrecked many of the interior partitions on every floor.  The damage decreased in extent toward the top of the building, but considerable damage was done even on the top floor. In the lower two stories the windows and doors on the west side were all blown out, taking the metal frames and sash with them….

“Seven men were instantly killed, three died later from injuries and 53 were more or less severely injured.  Most of the casualties occurred in the basement or lower floors, but many workers on the upper floors were injured by the force of the explosion and flying debris, or were burned in the blast which followed. A group of city workmen laboring on the boulevard outside the building were injured by falling marble and flying glass.

“The official investigating committee appointed by Governor White in its preliminary report attributed the cause of the explosion to an accumulation of gas from an undetermined source in the subcellar.  This sub-basement, which occupied an irregular area about 30 x 60 feet under the middle of the building, was without outlets except a manhole. A break was discovered in the gas main about 40 inches under the sidewalk fifteen feet from the west wall of the building. The break is described as being 11 inches long and about one–twentieth of an inch wide at its widest point.  One theory is that gas escaping from the main through this leak accumulated in the sub-basement and was ignited in some manner.”  (NFPA.  “State Office Building Explosion…” NFPA Quarterly, Vol. 26, July 1932, pp. 55-58.)

NFPA, 1950: “Office Building, Columbus, Ohio, Apr. 14, 1932.  Seven men were killed outright, three died subsequently and 53 others were more or less seriously injured by an explosion in midafternoon in a new state office building.  The casualties involved workmen engaged in completing the interior of the 12-story fire-resistive building.

“The center of the explosion was in the sub-basement.  The reinforced concrete basement floor overhead was entirely blown off, as was the central portion of the first floor embracing an area about 70 ft. x 160 ft.  In this area the concrete floors were raised clear of the supporting steel girders and then fell back into the basement.  The force of the explosion traveled up the elevator shaft, blowing out the partition walls on both sides on every story.

“Suit was brought against the natural gas distributing company on the grounds that a 16-inch street main, improperly installed, developed a leak and caused gas to form pockets in the building basement.  Suits were settled out of court for approximately $500,000.”  (National Fire Protection Association. “Gas Explosions.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 43, No. 4, April 1950, p. 297.)

Newspaper

April 19, AP: “Columbus, O., April 19…The task of removing the tons of debris within the 13-story building was started yesterday with investigators looking on in an effort to determine the cause of the blast which ripped upward from a sub-cellar to the eleventh floor last Thursday.

“Emil Bliss, 49, of Akron, one of the 58 workmen injured by the explosion, died last night bringing the death toll to 10. Bliss suffered a fractured skull.” (Associated Press. “Rule On Blast Loss Due Today.” The Portsmouth Times, OH. 4-19-1932, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Rule On Blast Loss Due Today.” The Portsmouth Times, OH. 4-19-1932, p. 1. Accessed 1-16-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/portsmouth-times-apr-19-1932-p-2/

National Fire Protection Association.  “Gas Explosions.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 43, No. 4, April 1950, pp. 287-309.

National Fire Protection Association. “State Office Building Explosion, Columbus, Ohio.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 26, July 1932, p. 55-58.