1932 — Feb 4, oil fumes explode/fire, Sun Oil Co. tanker M.S. Bidwell, Marcus Hook, PA –18

lornajarrettblanchard February 4, 1932

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

–18 Chester Times, PA: “Death Toll of Tankship Blasts Rises to Eighteen…” 2-5-1932, p. 1.

–18 Devanney, Jack. The Strange History of Tank Inerting. Technokontrol.com.

–18 Generative AI. “The explosion of the Sun Oil tanker Bidwell on February 4, 1932.”[1]

–18 NFPA. “Fires in Which There Was Loss of Life.” NFPA Quarterly, April 1932, p. 414.

–18 NFPA. “Oil Tanker ‘Bidwell’ Fire,” NFPA Quarterly, Vol. 25, No. 4, April 1932, p. 390.

–17 Fleetsheet.com. M.S. Bidwell. Accessed 1-16-2025 at: http://www.fleetsheet.com/bidwell.htm

Narrative Information

National Fire Protection Association: “On February 4, 1932, at 12:20 a.m. an explosion occurred on the Sun Oil Company owned and operated tanker Bidwell while he ship was moored at the pier of the Sinclair Refining Company, Marcus Hook, PA. This disaster resulted in the death of 18 persons and caused considerable property damage. Four main cargo tanks, both port and starboard, the pump room and the mid-ship section were damaged by the explosion and resultant fire.

“Story of the Fire. A cargo, consisting of approximately 75,000 barrels of crude petroleum from Texas, had been discharged and the tanks were being steamed and gas freed for shipyard work. The tanks involved in the explosion had been steamed for several hours and were being hosed down from the deck and stripped at the same time, preparatory to another steaming, when the explosion occurred in the mid-ship section under the deckhouse.

“The force of the explosion was so violent that out of twenty-people who were in the mid-ship section of the vessel only two escaped, these two being in bed, which no doubt served to lessen the effect of the shock. They jumped overboard and were subsequently rescued.

“There were three separate and distinct explosions, the first doing practically all of the damage, blowing out the side of the vessel and involving numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4 tanks, port and starboard, and the pump-room. Approximately four minutes after the initial explosion, a second explosion in No. 4 tank and the pump-room occurred, and about fifteen minutes later an explosion occurred in the No. 5 summer tank which did not do any considerable amount of damage. Fire immediately followed, which was confined to that portion of the ship involved in the original explosion.

“The ship was badly damaged. The entire port side was torn open by the force of the explosion from the upper deck to a point below the water line. The deck itself, forward of amidships, was bent upward and folded back like a sheet of paper. The bridge was charred and burned, and the captain’s and crew’s quarters were completely burned out.

“There were eight men engaged in cleaning the tanks; four of these wee forward of the mid-ship section. These four men were lost. The four aft of the mid-ship section and all of the crew who were in the after end of the ship escaped either by lowering a life boat or jumping overboard.

“A careful investigation disclosed that standard rules and procedures were being followed. Hosing was being done from the deck and every precautionary measure was taken. The most plausible explanation is that the steaming operation did not remove all of the gas, a very explosive mixture must have been present, and static electricity was generated by the rapid condensation of steam in the tanks due to hosing down with cold water.

‘The company was completely exonerated by the U.S. Steamboat Inspection Service for being responsible in any way, but a tragic emphasis has been placed upon the importance of operating tankers in a manner that would guarantee that explosive mixtures could never exist in the tanks at any time.” (NFPA. “Oil Tanker ‘Bidwell’ Fire,” NFPA Quarterly, V. 25, N. 4, Apr 1932, p. 390.)

Generative AI. “The explosion of the Sun Oil tanker Bidwell on February 4, 1932.”

T. E. Dreshauer: Quartermaster of the Bidwell, and a resident of Baltimore, Maryland
W. L. Oliver: Quartermaster assistant from Charlotte, North Carolina
Grant Pierce: Quartermaster assistant from Elmira, New York
A. A. McNab: Chief mate from New York City
Edward Russell: Seaman from New York City
Edward Gielow: Seaman from Michigan City, Indiana
Stephen Marke: Seaman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Steve Gardner: From Chester, Pennsylvania
Leroy Hamilton: Seaman from Marietta, Georgia
Marion Saraga: From Linwood, Pennsylvania
Carl Milde: Boatswain from Hamburg, Germany
Edward Anderson: From Plainfield, New Jersey
H. H. Derndston: From Wilmette, Illinois

Newspapers

Feb 4, United Press: “Marcus Hook, Pa., Feb 4. – (U.P.) – The Sun Oil Tanker Bidwell was shattered by a series of terrific explosions early today and many of the 61 persons aboard were killed. Five members of the crew died in hospitals and rescuers at mid—day removed bodies of seven unidentified persons from the charred remains of the craft.

“The tanker was tied up at the dock at Trainer after unloading her cargo of crude oil, brought from Mexico. A few members of the crew and stevedores were cleaning out the tanks. Some members of the crew were asleep. Suddenly there care the first blast. Confusion followed. Three more blasts came quickly. Members of the crew and stevedores screamed, and fought for safety. Several leaped into the water. One swam a quarter of a mile in water so cold he almost was paralyzed.

“Many were injured, their bodies scared by the flames. They were taken to hospitals where four died today. Others were in such serious condition their lives were despaired of. Not until mid-morning were rescue crews able to go onto the craft. Then they discovered first the body of Captain Joseph Rivers, Jamaica, N.Y., in his cabin. Subsequently they came upon the bodies of the seven who thus far are unidentified. Their bodies were so badly burned identification appeared impossible. The other four victims were:

Stephen Marx, Philadelphia…stevedore.

Roy Hamilton, Marietta, Ga.

Edwin Russell, Marcus Hook.

Edward Gielow, Michigan City, Ind.

“All available ambulances and fire engines speeded to Trainer, the little village just outside Marcus Hook, where the Bidwell was tied up after unloading here cargo of crude oil. Fireboats from Philadelphia which arrived soon after the explosion played their streams on the flaming wreckage.

“Members of the crew and 10 stevedores were cleaning the Bidwell’s tanks when one blast at 12:20 shook the forward tank, and the bow of the tanker burst into flames. The bulkheads became red hot, and the flames spread to the stern. Three more blasts came in quick succession, all in the forward tank. The other five tanks did not explode….” (United Press. “Explosion of Oil Ship at Marcus Hook Kills Many. 12 Known Dead in Holocaust Following Series of Blasts in Hold of Sun Oil Co. Tanker Named Bidwell.” Clearfield Progress, PA. 2-4-1932, p. 1.)

Feb 5. Chester Times, PA: “Death Toll of Tankship Blasts Rises to Eighteen; Four Victims in Hospital.” 2-5-1932, p. 1. [List of fatalities]

Harry T. Ackerman 33 New York Second mate
Edward Anderson 49 Plainfield, NJ
H. Derndston Wilmette, IL
R. Dreshauer 27 Baltimore, MD Bidwell quartermaster
Steve Gardner 42 Chester PA
Edward Gielow 32 Michigan City, IN Seaman
Leroy Hamilton 21 Marietta, GA Seaman
Stephen Marke 31 Philadelphia Seaman
A. McNab 55 New York City Chief mate
Carl Milde Hamburg, Germany Bidwell boatswain.
Robert A. Nelson 29 Linwood, PA
L. Oliver 32 Charlotte, NC Quartermaster assistant
Grant Pierce 34 Elmira, NY Quartermaster assistant
Joseph B. Rivers Long Island, NY Captain and Master of the Bidwell
Edward Russell 35 New York City Seaman
Marion Saraga 36 Linwood, PA
John Testich 44 Chester, PA

[Not on this list but in Find A Grave is Harry Eugene Ockelman, 34. The Harry Ackerman noted in the Chester Times above may be one and the same.]

Sources

Chester Times, PA: “Death Toll of Tankship Blasts Rises to Eighteen; Four Victims in Hospital.” 2-5-1932, p. 1. Accessed 1-16-2025 at: https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2019/211/201607498_a90a4907-23e6-4db6-89bc-af70171c6ce4.png

Devanney, Jack. The Strange History of Tank Inerting. Technokontrol.com. Accessed 1-16-2025 at: https://technokontrol.com/pdf/report-oil-tanker-explosions.pdf

Find a Grave. “Harry Eugene Ockelman.” Memorial IC 201607498. Accessed 1-16-2025 at: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/201607498/harry_eugene_ockelman

Fleetsheet.com. M.S. Bidwell. Accessed 1-16-2025 at: http://www.fleetsheet.com/bidwell.htm

Generative AI. “The explosion of the Sun Oil tanker Bidwell on February 4, 1932.” Accessed 1-16-2025 at: https://www.google.com/search?q=tanker+bidwell+explosion+victims+february+4+1932&client=firefox-b-1-d&sca_esv=865d6c36e0c51f09&ei=0JGJZ5PaE9Hn5NoPtLntqAY&ved=0ahUKEwiTgsSprvuKAxXRM1kFHbRcG2UQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=tanker+bidwell+explosion+victims+february+4+1932&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiMHRhbmtlciBiaWR3ZWxsIGV4cGxvc2lvbiB2aWN0aW1zIGZlYnJ1YXJ5IDQgMTkzMjIIEAAYgAQYogQyCBAAGIAEGKIEMggQABiABBiiBDIIEAAYogQYiQUyCBAAGIAEGKIESJkpUOYMWMsncAN4AJABAJgBlAGgAb0GqgEDOC4xuAEDyAEA-AEBmAILoAKYBsICCxAAGIAEGLADGKIEwgIIEAAYsAMY7wXCAgUQABjvBZgDAIgGAZAGA5IHBDEwLjGgB-8f&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

National Fire Protection Association. “Fires in Which There Was Loss of Life.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 25, No. 4, April 1932, pp. 414-415.

National Fire Protection Association. “Oil Tanker ‘Bidwell’ Fire,” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 25, No. 4, April 1932, pp. 390-391.

United Press. “Explosion of Oil Ship at Marcus Hook Kills Many. 12 Known Dead in Holocaust Following Series of Blasts in Hold of Sun Oil Co. Tanker Named Bidwell.” Clearfield Progress, PA. 2-4-1932, p. 1. Accessed 1-16-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/clearfield-progress-feb-04-1932-p-1/

[1] Names 13 fatalities.