1937 — Feb 5, Flooding, natural gas leak, explosion & fire, Floyd Street, Louisville, KY–10
–10 Bell, Rick. The Great Flood of 1937: Rising Waters, Soaring Spirits. Butler Books, 2007.
–10 Kleber. “Louisville Fire Department/Fires.” The Encyclopedia of Louisville. 2001, 548.
–10 LouisvilleKy.gov. Louisville Fire Department History, 1856-1980.
–10 NFPA. “Louisville Fires and Protection.” Quarterly of the NFPA, V30, N4, Apr 1937, p. 337.
Narrative Information
Bell: “The single deadliest event during the Flood[1] was a gas explosion and fire that killed 10 people in a three-story building on the corner of Floyd and Market. On the street level, the building housed the Eckerle Drug Store, a jewelry shop, the Breckinridge Brothers Time Company and an A&P grocery. The top two floors were divided into 15 apartments.
“Men, women and children were seen leaping from second-story windows when rescuers arrived. A total of 125 WPA[2] workers, under the direction of Public Works engineer E. F. Schimpeler, were summoned from Crescent Hill and worked frantically to free those trapped in the rubble.
“Jewelry store operator Israel Monfried reported, ‘All I know is that the walls reached out and hit me.’ The manager of the tire store, Mohler Breckinridge was trapped under a girder and frantic efforts were made at rescue. He died when rescue crews were withdrawn when the building began collapsing around them. Mrs. Mary Smith was in shock when taken to City Hospital to have her burns and bruises treated. ‘I lost my pocketbook, but I still have my key which isn’t much good now I guess.’
“Two victims of the explosion and fire were Mrs. Jenette Adcock and her five-year old son, Roy. They were caught inside the A&P store and were unable to escape. Their father and grandfather was a firefighter, Jacob Fitch, who had helped battle the blaze with no idea his family was among the victims.” (Bell, Rick. The Great Flood of 1937: Rising Waters, Soaring Spirits. Louisville, KY: Butler Books, 2007.)
Kleber: “A three-story brick building with two floors of apartments and a ground floor housing four businesses was the scene of a natural gas explosion that ripped through the building about two-forty-five on a Friday afternoon. When firefighters arrived, people were jumping from the second- and third-floor windows. The disaster killed ten people and injured scores.” (Kleber 2001, p. 548.)
LouisvilleKy.gov: “In February of 1937, a gas explosion in a three-story brick building killed 10 persons at Floyd and Market Street. Battalion Chief John Gambrall, one of the first firemen to reach the scene, found men, women and children leaping from second story windows; he immediately turned in second and third alarms. Property loss was estimated in excess of $40,000. The structure housed on its first floor the Eckerle Drug, a jewelry store operated by Monfried, and A & P grocery and the Breckinridge Tire Company. The two upper floors were used as living rooms and apartments, the normal capacity being swelled to almost 100 by transients seeking refuge from the flood.” (LouisvilleKy.gov. Louisville Fire Department History, 1856-1980.)
NFPA: “….Ten persons lost their lives in a gas explosion which wrecked a three-story store and dwelling block on February 5, and caused property damage of $60,000. This disaster was due to the carelessness of a coal truck driver who dumped a load of coal in the basement and broke a gas main. The driver clamed that the escaping gas sounded like water running in the basement and he thought that the noise was due to flood water remaining in the basement. Later the gas was ignited by someone going into the basement.” (National Fire Protection Association. “Louisville Fires and Protection.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 30, No. 4, April 1937, pp. 337-338.)
Newspaper
Feb 5: “Louisville, Ky., Feb. 5. – (AP) – A terrific explosion of gas accumulated during the flood shattered a three-story brick building in the business section here today and killed, according to police estimates, from two to fourteen persons. More than a score were injured.
“The first explosion was followed by another and the flames spread westward before a high wind and enveloped an apartment house, where it was feared the loss of life was heavy. Windows were shattered for a block in all directions.
“The brick building was at Floyd and Market streets and housed a drug store, tire shop, chain grocery store and general small shops.
“Joe Hofgefang said Theodore Creek was killed by the second explosion as he tried to drag Creek out. Police said at least another was known dead.
“The explosion and consequent fire was the third in the last twenty-four hours resulting from gas leaks or gas left turned on as a result of the flood. W J. Mackenzie, a Chicago fire captain, and several other out-of-town firemen, were among the first to reach the scene. The flames and smoke could be seen from the heart of the business section.” (Associated Press. “Explosion of Gas Causes Death, Injury.” Reno Evening Gazette, NV. 2-5-1937, p. 2.)
Feb 6: “Louisville, Feb. 6 (AP) – Firemen, digging in the ruins of a three story brick building destroyed yesterday by explosion and fire, recovered four bodies today. Several other persons, including a number of children, were still reported missing….
“Several hours after the explosion, attributed to gas accumulated from a water damaged main, rocked the downtown section, the body of an unidentified white woman, about 27, was found in the debris. Police said they believed she was a pedestrian who was trapped beneath falling walls.
“Louisville, Feb. 6 (AP) – Two gas explosions and a fire, due to recent disastrous flood, destroyed two three-story brick buildings on Market Street at Floyd Street here in the business section and it was believed at least seven lives were lost. The gas, believed to have accumulated
from a main damaged by flood waters, exploded with a roar that damaged the buildings and sent some 15 families and flood refugees fleeing from apartments above the stores in the structures. Another explosion of terrific force shattered window panes for a block around and could be heard over the downtown section. Fire Chief Edward McHugh estimated property loss at $50.000.
“First reports listed among the missing and believed dead, Mohler G. Breckinridge, proprietor of a tire shop; Mrs. Rose McCrawley. 65, resident of one of the apartments; two other adults, one believed to be Robert Hawkins, manager of a chain grocery store, and-several children. The fact that there were a number of flood refugees in the apartments added to the difficulty of checking the missing….” (Salamanca Republican-Press. “Blasts Take Seven Lives.” 2-26-1937, p. 1.)
Sources
Associated Press. “Explosion of Gas Causes Death, Injury.” Reno Evening Gazette, NV. 2-5-1937, p. 2. Accessed 9-19-2019 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/reno-evening-gazette-feb-05-1937-p-2/
Bell, Rick. The Great Flood of 1937: Rising Waters, Soaring Spirits. Louisville, KY: Butler Books, 2007.
Kleber, John E. (Editor in Chief). The Kentucky Encyclopedia, “Flood of 1937,” pp. 327-328. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992. Partially digitized by Google at: https://books.google.com/books?id=CcceBgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
LouisvilleKy.gov. Louisville Fire Department History, 1856-1980. Accessed 4-19-2009 at: http://www.louisvilleky.gov/louisvillefire/lfd_history_full_text.htm
National Fire Protection Association. “Fires in Which There Was Loss of Life, First Quarter, 1937.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Boston, April 1937, pp. 381-383.
National Fire Protection Association. “Louisville Fires and Protection.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 30, No. 4, April 1937, pp. 337-338.
Salamanca Republican-Press, NY. “Blasts Take Seven Lives.” 2-26-1937, 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=36033721
[1] Ohio River flooding of January-February 1937.
[2] Works Progress Administration.