Lyle Teal and Louis Robbins Lose Lives in TNT Explosion

ROBBINS, TEAL

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 1/25/2014 at 00:11:03

Lyle Teal and Louis Robbins Lose Lives in TNT Explosion

Score others killed or injured in accident at $60,000,000 Ordnance Plant Near Burlington.

Two Keosauqua men, Louis Robbins and Lyle Teal, lost their lives in the TNT explosion in a melting room at the Burlington ordnance plant shortly after 1 o’clock Friday afternoon. Mr. Robbins, 33, could not be found after the accident and is thought to have died instantly, and Mr. Teal, 27, at a hospital shortly before 6 o’clock the next morning without regaining consciousness.

Seven other men were killed in the terrific blast, and six others are missing and feared blown to bits. Twenty other workmen were injured and perhaps an equal number escaped without injury or with scratches and bruises.

William Pratt in Hospital

William Pratt, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Pratt of Stockport was injured and taken to a hospital.

Cause of the catastrophe has not been announced although officials at the $60,000,000 plant say they are satisfied there was no sabotage. An accident of some sort preceded the single blast, which was heard for a distance of 10 to 15 miles. The TNT melt room was demolished. Little damage was done to other buildings.

Plans have been made to replace the building. Work at other parts of the big plant continues. Loading of shells has been in progress has been on progress several months although the plant is not yet completed. Three loading lines were in operation at the time the explosion temporarily put one unit out of action, and a fourth line is nearing completion.

First Reports Indefinite

News of the blast was broadcast within a few minutes after it occurred, and early reports placed the dead between 40 and 60. Confusion resulted from circulation of rumors, and many families who had relatives working in the plant were not able to receive word for several hours.

One of the first reports correctly listed Mr. Teal as one of the most seriously injured. The family rushed to the hospital and remained throughout the night. Mr. Teal’s injuries were described as skull lacerations and concussion. Little hope was held for his recovery at the time.

Buildings Widely Spaced

Although explosions in munitions factories and shell loading plants are not numerous, officials in designing the Burlington plant arranged the buildings so that a blast in one area would not set off explosives in another. They claimed that this foresight prevented much great loss of life in the explosion Friday.

A duplicate unit to the north and another processing unit to the south in the mile long Group No. 1 loading line were not damaged.

The explosion appeared to center in the melting rooms of the three story building. The men in the pouring bays suffered least. A number of persons escaped almost miraculously. The TNT (2 lines cut out) drawn off into spark-proof duraluminum kettles. From there the molten explosive goes into rubber buckets from which it is poured by hand into steel shells moving along the loading line.

TNT Is Melted

Explosives in the "pouring phase" in the same building did not ignite. In the same building TNT was still in the tubs and loading shells after the explosion.

In the upper floors of the destroyed building the explosion was touched off somehow in the melting apparatus. TNT is brought in as yellow powder. It is melted at just above the boiling point in coils.

When the TNT is melted it is drawn off into spark-proof dura-aluminum kettles. From there the molten explosive goes into rubber buckets from which is is poured by hand into steel shells moving along the loading line.

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