Pittsburgh Gasometer Explosion
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The Pittsburg Gasometer Explosion was a bizarre accident that took place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on the morning of November 14, 1927.[1] A huge cylindrical gasometer, the largest in the world at that time, developed a leak, and repairmen were sent to fix it. The repairmen used an open flame blowtorch to find the leak.[2] This turned out to be a serious mistake. The leak was found, but the tank full of natural gas then floated into the air like a balloon and exploded, causing a rain of fire and metal over a one mile radius. 28 people were killed and hundreds were injured.
[edit] References
- ^ Brotzman, W. S. (25 January 1928). "Damaging Gas Explosion At Pittsburgh, PA.". Monthly Weather Review 55 (11): 500. Weather Bureau. doi:.
- ^ Sebak, Rick (November 2006). One morning, the North Side exploded. Pittsburgh Magazine. WQED Pittsburgh. Retrieved on 2008-01-17.
