VIOLENT EXPLOSION

Chronicle (Levin), 22 February 1947, Page 5

VIOLENT EXPLOSION

Press Assn.v. (i *n\

Effecls Felt Two Miles From Scene

.By Telegraph

■Copyright

Received Friday 9.30 p.m. LOS AXGELES, Feb. 20. At least 30 were kiiled and 800 th jured, some criticaily, by an explosiuu which destroyed the O'Gonnor Electru Flating Company 's briolc building ano /our nearliy residences in the industriai Jistrict of Los Angeies today. Otlier buildings over a four-block area were severeiy damaged, and almosi all windows in the vicinity weiv /iroken. Some were siuashed in build ,ngs 70 blocks from -the scene, or ap proxiniately two miles avvay. The e.\ plosion scattered debris over a vviik nrea and shook buildings within l iipiare miles and was heard .15 uiilen distant. The fire chief (Mr. John Alderson , ,-iiud that people inside the wrecke>. ouilding wero almost cooked alive ti,. ,he tremendous heat of the explosiou, which sent a shock wave rolling ovei ..he citv, eausing power failures. The police said there wero 85 peopk . in the building vvhen the blast shreddeu uhe interior, literally lifted tlie roo, and sent it flying. Many passers-by were injured by flying glass. A fire official who was an eye-witnes.. isiid: "The vvhole area- seemed to go up .ri snioke, similar to the pictures vve'vc een of atoniic bomb explosions. " A sailor vvlio helped in the rescue work said that some of the vietims had all their clothes Inirned off their bodies and were coloured greon, apparentl_. with acid. The first person found dead Was n boy ot',13 wlio was peddling magazines on a bicycle a block from tlie plaiiL He was crushed by a piece of falling pipe. Fire broke out after the explosiou and it is feared many of tliose still re ported missing were burned to death, rhe Deputv Chief of Police said 3(i women were still unawcounted for. lle feared the death list might reach 75. Pvvelve fire compaiiics, in addition t« all available anibulances, were called to ihe scene. Eniergency hospitals were soon over-taxed and patienls diverted to other instituLions. Sevcral of those injured were struck by metal helmets which were being nickel-plated in the# establishnient ainl which, after the explosiou, raineil from the air. Elevators in buildings several blocks avvay were jainmed in their sliafts by the terrilic blast. A hasty checlc indicatcd that about 300 honies in the vicinity were damaged. The grimness of tlie scene was intensilied vvhen looters began to raid ihe vvrecked dvvijllings necessitating extra police and also marines and soldiers iieing called out to patrol the area. Firemen said the exjilosion apparenlly occ.urred in a huge tank containing some chemical. The Chief of the Lo-> Angeies Fire Prevention Bureau said his investigations indicated that the explosion was eaused liy concentrated perchloric acid, which is used in electro plating aluminium. 'J'lie acid was kepi rel'rigerated to prevent il explociing, but the factory had had trouble vvitli the ref rigerating plant an honr before the explosiou. Mr. .1. .1. O'Gonnor, liead of the firm, told reporters: " VVe were doing something for tlie Government. You cqii see what happened. " Mr. O'Connor declined to amplify the statement oxcept to say that a YVar Departinenl inspector w'as investigating.