04-27-2009
( Reply#: 3004 ) |
Tom J |
Here's a link to some info on the explosion.
http://www.fireworld.com/ifw_articles/texas-city-01.php
A 1967 Graduate of Hammond High who cherishes his memories of growing up in the Hammond of the 1950's and 1960's. Bring back those days!
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/tsjay/Tom%20and%20Georgeann/img014.jpg[/IMG] |
04-27-2009
( Reply#: 3005 ) |
Tom J |
I was six years old when the Standard Oil explosion and fire occurred. I lived on the 5600 block of Homerlee Avenue in EC at that time, and I slept right through the blast. Windows were shattered not too far from my house, but we took no damage.
I remember that several days later, when Indianapolis Blvd was reopened, Dad took us for a drive past the refinery. To this very day, I can remember the acres and acres of destruction, the charred hulks of the storage tanks, the sagging railroad tank cars that had partially melted, and the twisted pipes.
Tom
Oh, I just checked on Google Earth, and I found out that my house was 3.5 miles from the area that blew up and burned. The article I provided the link to in a previous post says that windows were shattered in a three mile radius, so I was only half a mile further away.
A 1967 Graduate of Hammond High who cherishes his memories of growing up in the Hammond of the 1950's and 1960's. Bring back those days!
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/tsjay/Tom%20and%20Georgeann/img014.jpg[/IMG] |
04-27-2009
( Reply#: 3006 ) |
tom w |
Tom;
As I mentioned elsewhere, I remember the family climbing out the attic window and watching the smoke and flames from the roof. I also noticed many of our neighbors doing the same. What impressed me most was several years later, driving down a street by Wolf Lake and someone pointing out the houses still standing with visible cracks running around them. Products of the explosions. I was also impressed with the pictures in the Times of the melted tank cars and railroad tracks. Take care Tom W Hammond Tech 55-58 |
04-27-2009
( Reply#: 3007 ) |
Tom J |
Does anyone have some good pictures of the fire and the aftermath? I would sure love to see some!
There is some video footage of the fire on one of the Mid American Heritage Preservation Foundation tapes/dvds. The title of the video is "Standard Oil Fire of 1955." They use siren sounds in the background, and it will drive you nearly nuts as you watch the video. There is some commentary, otherwise I would recommend that you watch it with the sound turned completely down. They really overdid it with the sirens!
Tom
A 1967 Graduate of Hammond High who cherishes his memories of growing up in the Hammond of the 1950's and 1960's. Bring back those days!
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/tsjay/Tom%20and%20Georgeann/img014.jpg[/IMG] |
04-28-2009
( Reply#: 3009 ) |
Bill Bucko |
Tom, you musta been one heckofa deep sleeper!
My entire family, in Hessville, was awakened by the explosion. Don't think I ever saw the scene up close, but from 5 miles away, a tall pillar of black smoke was visible for a long time.
I heard it was the hydroformer that blew. For months afterwards, six-year-old me built "hydroformers" with my American Bricks.
Bill
Warren G. Harding Class of '63 |
12-25-2011
( Reply#: 7799 ) |
Jay |
I found some video stills and movies about the fire.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEL_TfVSYyQ
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=39632
The final link begins with some general Whiting scenes. Then the fire coverage begins at 01:22 into the video. |
12-25-2011
( Reply#: 7800 ) |
Roger D |
We lived on the 4400 block of Clark St. in '55, I was 11 years old. We stood on our front porch and could feel the heat when the tanks blew up. |
12-26-2011
( Reply#: 7812 ) |
seejay2 |
We lived in Hessville, but I remember the old man driving to the scene. We saw one of the tanks burning with that thick black smoke and Hell's fire coming from the tank. Up to that point in my life, it was the most awesome thing I'd ever seen. Of course I was only 6 and hadn't seen much in such a short time, but I remember it like it was yesterday...Cj |
12-26-2011
( Reply#: 7813 ) |
Tom J |
quote:
Originally posted by seejay2
We lived in Hessville, but I remember the old man driving to the scene. We saw one of the tanks burning with that thick black smoke and Hell's fire coming from the tank. Up to that point in my life, it was the most awesome thing I'd ever seen. Of course I was only 6 and hadn't seen much in such a short time, but I remember it like it was yesterday...Cj
I'm with ya, CJ. As I said up the page a few posts, Dad drove us up Indianapolis Blvd when it reopened and the destruction I saw is etched in my mind. I, too, was six years old at the time.
Tomster |
12-27-2011
( Reply#: 7814 ) |
seejay2 |
After the fire was over, the resulting damage was probably the 2nd most awesome sight in my life. I had a hard time, registering in my mind, the incredible amount of heat it took to melt down train cars, autos and steel beamed structure, even though some of it wasn't directly in the flames. Years later, after I had worked in the steel mills and understood the heat required to do that kind of damage, the magnitude of it was even more appreciable.
After all of that, I lived in mortal fear of something happening to those 2 huge tanks on the Blvd near the canal bridge---the big green checkered one and the smaller expandable one next to it. Grandma would begin to mumble little prayers and things whenever she may have been in the car while driving past them.
Subsequently, after the tanks were dismantled, gramps would always remind us on what a good move that was because the Russians would have kept a nuclear missile aimed at them.
Oh God, the things we had to concern ourselves with!
I always felt that the missile that would have been assigned for the tanks was probably reprogrammed for more important things like Hammond High or Bishop Noll.
Sorry, Tom, I guess it was just one of those juvenile rivalry things...Cj |
04-02-2012
( Reply#: 8343 ) |
Geezer |
We were 7 miles south of the refinery on Baring Parkway. I remember awakening to the house rattling (I was a very sound 10-year old sleeper) and then going out into the parkway for a clear view north of the billowing smoke.
Bruce
Hammond Morton Class of '63 |
04-02-2012
( Reply#: 8345 ) |
wvcogs |
quote:
Originally posted by Geezer
We were 7 miles south of the refinery on Baring Parkway. I remember awakening to the house rattling (I was a very sound 10-year old sleeper) and then going out into the parkway for a clear view north of the billowing smoke.
Bruce
Hammond Morton Class of '63
Hello Bruce,
Welcome to Sheptalk. It's good to have another Governor on the forum.
As soon as I saw Class of '63, I had a good idea who you were. All I had to do was check your profile. There you are, a very spirited supporter of the school back in your junior high years.
Check the other threads and get involved in the conversations.
Ken O'Neal
MHS 1960 |
04-03-2012
( Reply#: 8346 ) |
seejay2 |
Where about's in Jersey, Bruce? I spent some time in the Bayonne area back in '71...Cj |
