Dirks, Robert I. (abt 1912-1953)

DIRKS

Posted By: Janet Brown, volunteer (email)
Date: 7/19/2013 at 12:49:45

From the Hawarden Independent, October 22, 1953:

Robert I. Dirks, son of Mrs. Anna C. Dirks of Akron and a relative of several Hawarden persons, was one of two Pittsburg executives who were killed when a huge liquid oxygen tank blew up at the General Electric plant October 8 at New Kensington, PA.

The force of the blast hurled the tank about 300 feet from its base and about 100 feet into the air.

Mr. Dirks, 41, was superintendent of the North Side of the plant of the Air Reduction Co.

Also killed was Robert Tunell, 41, another plant superintendent.

The tank which exploded was 12 feet in diameter and 10 feet high. It was made of half-inch steel plates and weighed several tons.

Mr. Dirks is survived by his mother, the widow and two daughters. He was a nephew of Mr. and Mrs. J. Henry McAnich and a cousin of Clarence Gamble of Hawarden.
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From the Akron Register-Tribune, October 15, 1953:

Mrs. Anna Dirks received the sad news last Thursday of the death of her son, Robert I. Dirks, as the result of an explosion at the General Electric plant at New Kensington, Penn., near Pittsburgh, while working on the installation of a large metal tank which was to be used to store liquid oxygen. One other man was killed in the blast and four more were injured.

Robert Dirks was the youngest son of Mrs. Anna Dirks, and spent his boyhood days in Akron. As a young man he went to Milwaukee, Wisc., where he was employed for a number of years, later moving to Lima, Ohio, where he was employed by the Air Reduction Company for thirteen years. During the past two years he had been superintendent of the North Side plant of Airco in Pittsburgh.

Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Lorraine Dirks, two daughters, Kathleen, 15, and Barbara, 9, of Pittsburgh, his mother, Mrs. Anna Dirks, and a brother, John Dirks, of Akron. Funeral services were held in Pittsburgh, on Monday afternoon of this week. John Dirks went to Pittsburgh to attend the services for his brother. Sympathy is extended to the relatives of Robert Dirks in this bereavement.