1928 — Nov 8, Explosion/Fire, Preble Box Toe Co. Plant and house, Lynn, MA –20-21
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 2-15-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/-
–21 Conway and Shephard. The Great Fires of Lynn. 2006, p. 53.[1]
–21 Hensler, Bruce. “The Fires of November,” FireRecruit.com, 11-12-2012.
–20 Lowell Sun, MA. “20th Victim of Lynn Explosion.” 11-26-1928, p. 1.
–20 Lynn Fire Fighters Local 739, Lynn Massachusetts. “History of Lynn Fire Dept.” 9-8-2008.
–20 National Fire Protection Assoc. Spreadsheet on Large Loss of Life Fires (as of Feb 2003).
–19 Olean Times, NY. “19 Dead, 2 Missing, 12 injured is Toll, Lynn Fire Horror,” 11-9-1928.
Narrative Information
Conway and Shephard: “The greatest tragedy in Lynn’s fire history occurred on November 8, 1928, when an explosion rocked the Preble Box Toe Company plant on Brookline Street. Twenty-one people lost their lives, perhaps most tragically a mother and five children living next door to the factory.”[2] (Conway and Shephard 2006, 53.)
FamilyTreeMaker: “Harry F. Blaney…was born March 08, 1889 in Marblehead, Ma., and died November 21, 1928 in Lynn, Mass. He married Lillian M. Brownell, February 03, 1910 in Lynn, Mass….She…died November 08, 1928 in Lynn, Mass.
“More About Harry F. Blaney:…Cause of Death: extensive burns from a house fire. Occupation: shoemaker, baker, driver, mechanic at time of death.
“Notes for Lillian Mr. Brownell: Died in a house fire (44 Groveland Rd., Lynn) with 5 of her children,[3] following an early morning explosion and fire at the Preble Box Toe. Co. Harry succumbed to his burns three weeks later.” (Familytreemaker.genealogy.com. “Descendants of John Blaney, Generation No. 8.)
Lynn Fire Fighters Local 739: “November 12, 1928: As the result of a disastrous fire and explosion at the Prebble Box Toe Manufacturing concern on Brookline Street on November 8, 1928, where twenty persons lost their lives and several buildings were destroyed, a Fire Prevention Bureau was established. Captain John Day of Engine 1 was named Chief Inspector and five fire fighters were assigned to assist him. This was the beginnings of the fire prevention program of this department.” (Lynn Fire Fighters Local 739, Lynn Massachusetts (Wayne Wilkins). “History of Lynn Fire Dept.” 9-8-2008.)
Contemporary Newspapers, Chronological:
Nov 8, Associated Press: “Lynn, Mass., Nov. 8 – (AP) – sixteen persons were dead and seven were in a serious at the Lynn Hospital tonight as a result of an explosion and fire which destroyed the plant of the Preble Box Toe Company and damaged six nearby dwellings in East Lynn today….
“Twelve of the victims were killed outright by the explosion or burned to death in the fire which followed it, while four others died after being taken to the hospital. Six of the dead and one of those now at the hospital were members of the family of Harry Blaney, who lived in a two-tenement house within a few feet of the rear of the plant.
“His wife, Mrs. Lillian Blaney, and four of their children were burned to death in the fire which swept their home after the explosion. Another Blaney child, was rescued from the burning house while still alive but died a few hours later at the hospital. The father was in a serious condition at the hospital tonight. Two other members of the family, also were taken to the hospital but were discharged after treatment. The other children had left the house just before the explosion occurred.” (Cornell Daily Sun, NY. “Lynn Explosion, Fire Destroys 16. 11-9-1928, p. 1.)
Nov 8, Lowell Sun, MA: “The plant was wrecked by a series of blasts which occurred shortly before 7:30 a.m. just as the factory was about to start operations for the day. The first explosion occurred in the rear of the plant where materials used in the manufacture of box toes for shoes are stored. Then there followed a number of smaller blasts which blew out the rear wall of the plant and sent huge flames across a small street to where there were several dwelling houses….The roof of the factory collapsed in the rear and several employees were thought to have been buried beneath it. The plant was built of concrete blocks which were sent flying in all directions by the explosion. The interior of the factory was a complete wreck. The plant was a small building, one story high with about twenty-five men employed in it.
“Six houses near the factory caught fire from the explosion, although the Blaney house was badly damaged…The Blaney family was at breakfast when the explosion occurred. Several of the family made their way to safety, but seven of them were trapped by the flames and five were suffocated….
“One of the workers of the plant was found dead at the side of his automobile in a driveway leading to the factory. Apparently he had arrived just as the explosion occurred and died as he was stepping from the car…. Fire followed the explosion, but it was put under control quickly by the Lynn fire department, all of which was called out.”
“The cause of the blast was not determined but firemen said they thought it was caused by the ignition of fumes from celluloid which was stored in the rear of the plant. It was thought likely that the fumes had collected during the night and were ignited when one of the workmen turned on his machine this morning.” (Lowell Sun. “14 Dead In East Lynn Explosion,” Nov 8, 1928.)
Nov 9, Olean Times, NY: “Before they expired at the Lynn hospital, three victims made statements which coincided. The men…said they were standing about in the factory waiting to start work when an official entered smoking…As he passed, the men said, the official flipped the lighted butt of the cigarette or flicked the hot ashes of the cigar into a barrel in which was stored inflammable[4] material used in the manufacture of toe pieces for shoes.
“A burst of flame came from the barrel. The three employees said they made a dash for the barrel and that the factory official joined them. The four men, they said, were just about to roll the barrel across the floor when there came an explosion… State explosive experts called it ‘a vapor explosion’. Men transformed into human torches ran from the building while others fell dead. The front of the factory was blown into the street and through this issued a great tongue of flame, which quickly subsided….
“The little factory was equipped with a ventilating system to take care of such gases. The system had not been started for the day, however, when the explosion occurred….” (Olean Times, NY, “19 Dead, 2 Missing, 12 injured is Toll, Lynn Fire Horror,” November 9, 1928.)
Nov 13, Lowell Sun, MA: Mayor of Lynn, “notified the fire marshal to revoke permits to factories handling highly explosive material that are not located at least 500 feet away from any other building.” (Lowell Sun, MA. “The Lynn Disaster,” November 13, 1928, p. 14.)
Nov 26, Associated Press: “Boston, Nov. 26 (AP) – With the death over the week-end of John James Poleman, an employe of the Preble Box Toe company, the toll of victims from the explosion which destroyed the company’s factory here on November 8, reached 20. Harry Blaney, Sr., the nineteenth victim to die, was buried yesterday. Blaney, whose house adjoined the factory, lost his wife and four of his eight children in the blast and ensuing fire. Church collections taken up in various churches yesterday for the benefit of the four surviving Blaney children amounted to $3000.” (Lowell Sun, MA. “20th Victim of Lynn Explosion.” 11-26-1928, p. 1.)
Sources
Conway, Bill and Diane Shephard. The Great Fires of Lynn. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2006.
Cornell Daily Sun, NY. “Lynn Explosion, Fire Destroys 16. 11-9-1928, p. 1. Accessed at: http://cdsun.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/cornell?a=d&d=CDS19281109.2.16&srpos=&dliv=none&e=——–20–1—–all—
Helena Daily Independent, MT. “Factory Blast That Claimed Lives of 18.” 11-11-1928, p. 7. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=4484227&sterm=lynn+preble+box+toe
Helena Independent, MT. “Seventeen Killed in Blast in Box Toe Factory in East Lynn, Mass.” 11-9-1928, p. 1. At: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=4482649
Hensler, Bruce. “The Fires of November,” FireRecruit.com, 11-12-2012. Accessed 3-23-2013 at: http://www.firerecruit.com/articles/1367081-The-fires-of-November
Lowell Sun, MA. “14 Dead In East Lynn Explosion,” November 8, 1928. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=61634200¤tResult=0&src=search
Lowell Sun, MA. “20th Victim of Lynn Explosion.” 11-26-1928, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=61634481&sterm=lynn+preble+box+toe
Lowell Sun, MA. “The Lynn Disaster,” November 13, 1928. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=56338975&firstvisit=true&src=search¤tResult=5
Lynn Fire Fighters Local 739, Lynn Massachusetts (Wayne Wilkins). “History of Lynn Fire Dept.” 9-8-2008. Accessed 3-23-2013: http://www.iafflocal739.org/?zone=/unionactive/view_page.cfm&page=History20of20Lynn20FD
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.)
New York Times. “19th Victim Dead in Lynn Explosion; Four Others are not Expected to Live – Fire in Ruins Renews City’s Fears. Chemist Reports Hazards. State Official Tells of Dangerous Chemicals Stored in Factory for Use in Product.”11-10-1928, 38. Accessed at: http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9401E7D7143EE73ABC4852DFB7678383639EDE&n=Top%2fClassifieds%2fReal%20Estate%2fColumns%2fLiving%20In
Olean Evening Times, NY. “19 Dead, 2 Missing, 12 injured is Toll, Lynn Fire Horror,” 11-9-1928. At: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=38036127
[1] Perhaps there were 21 fatalities, but though we have searched Massachusetts newspaper archives till the end of December we found no mention of a death following the 20th victim’s death the weekend of Nov 24-25.
[2] Three other member of the Blaney family were injured – two siblings and the father who was hospitalized. (Lowell Sun (MA). “Death Toll in Explosion at East Lynn Reaches 18,” November 9, 1928.) The ages of the children killed were 6-months, 6, 8, 10 and 15. (Olean Evening Times. “Mother and 5 Children, Lynn Explosion Victims, Will Be Buried Sunday,” November 10, 1928, p. 1.)
[3] Four girls and a boy. (Star Journal, Sandusky, OH. “Spared in Factory Blast.” 11-12-1928, p. 1.)
[4] Meaning flammable in today’s usage.