https://nj1015.com/the-devasta...l-explosion-of-1926/

The devastating Picatinny Arsenal explosion of 1926

Bill Doyle
July 10, 2020

One of the biggest disasters in New Jersey history happened on July 10th, 1926. A bolt of lightning struck the Lake Denmark Naval Ammunition Storage Depot in Rockaway Township, part of the Picatinny Arsenal.

At the time, the arsenal was used to store tons of explosives and ammunition, much of it left over from World War I. Around 5 pm that day, a thunderstorm developed in the area sending a lightning strike into the depot. What ensued was a massive explosion: over 600,000 tons of explosives detonated. Everything within 3,000 feet was vaporized and the explosion leveled buildings a half a mile away.

Of the 200 buildings at the depot, 187 were demolished. Shells were found miles away, cars were twisted into smoldering hunks of metal, trees were uprooted and debris was found over 20 miles away. The explosions lasted for three days with several millions of pounds of explosives being detonated in total “turning the forested lands into a lunar landscape complete with craters.”

According to Gawker, the monetary value of the damage would be $631 million in today’s dollars, although some estimates place it closer to $1 billion. Twenty-one reportedly died, both military personnel and civilians, and dozens more injured. A Naval inquiry found that there was no blame to be assigned and Captain Otto Dowling received a Distinguished Service Cross for his handling of the disaster. As a result, a government oversight board was formed to “provide oversight of the development, manufacture, testing, maintenance, demilitarization, handling, transportation and storage of explosives.”


From Sigmund: This led to what is now the Department of Defense Explosive Safety Board (DDESB).

More info:

http://thevane.gawker.com/july...n-new-jer-1602586498

https://www.pica.army.mil/ead/...ceTesting/index.html

https://www.msiac.nato.int/sit..._usa_10_jul_1926.pdf

https://www.denix.osd.mil/ddes/home/

It's why much of it is now stored in underground bunkers or igloos with lightening rods/arrestors.

The Arsenal used to forge the 16" battleship Naval shells in a huge building. It's been re-purposed now but the big pits are still there and you can get a sense of what it was like to make those.

Thanks for posting. I'd never heard that story, but it's interesting to me because my family has a personal connection to Picatinny Arsenal. My grandparents met there in the early 1940s. My grandfather worked there as a security guard after he got out of his first stint in the Army from 1937-1940, and my grandmother was working as a seamstress sewing ammo bandoliers.

Life was more dangerous back in the day. Dad says his grandparent talked about this one, as well as an earlier one in Chester PA:

Eddystone explosion

On April 10, 1917, four days after the United States declared war on Germany, an explosion at the Eddystone Ammunition Corporation's artillery shell plant in Eddystone, Pennsylvania, killed 139 people. The majority were women and girls who worked in the loading room, loading shells with black powder. 55 of the victims could not be identified and were buried in a mass grave. Hundreds more were injured. The victims were arguably among the first American casualties of World War I.

The explosion was initially blamed on German saboteurs, and later on Russians. It may in fact have been an accident caused by malfunctioning equipment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddystone_explosion

http://www.gendisasters.com/pe...y-explosion-feb-1882

My Grandfather from my Mothers side was on a fuel oil barge in the Raritan River near Perth Amboy when it went off. Then mentioned the days of explosions and the fires that were visible at night for miles.

IIRC there was another explosion in the Raritan River are in the early 1950's. Explosives or military munitions.



THIS...My Dad was in nearby Keasby and thought he was back in WW2 again.


https://www.hagley.org/library...-port-explosion-1950

Not long ago, I read about the WWI munitions explosion that nearly took Halifax Nova Scotia off the map. Quite a story!

quote:

Originally posted by Woodman:
Life was more dangerous back in the day.

ain't that the truth

i was watching a documentary the other day -- iirc it was ww2. ...clips of guys smoking around fuel...

different times no doubt

-----------------------------------------

Can’t imagine trying to round up all the UXO after that incident.

I remember reading a Safety of Ammunition and Storage manuals in the service where one incident basically erased a seaside town in maybe TX ( or on the Gulf of Mexico).

The manual went thru the incidents of explosions and fires due to improper lightering of ships, improper storage, misuse etc...

It was enlightening to say the least. All it takes is one mistake.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:

...I remember reading a Safety of Ammunition and Storage manuals in the service where one incident basically erased a seaside town in maybe TX ( or on the Gulf of Mexico)...

Sounds like Texas City TX, April 1947. 581 deaths.

https://timeline.com/texas-cit...andcamp-6c08615fc898

Similar incident, different country -

While in the USN, around 1977, I had the chance to visit Bergen, Norway. I noted a very distinct separation between the old town and new post war construction. Searching for an explanation I found the following -

In April 1944 a Dutch ship, anchored in the harbor, carrying some 273,000 pounds of explosives caught fire and blew up. 131 houses destroyed, 158 killed. At that time Germany had occupied Norway for 4 years.

There was also a very large munitions explosion near Tirana, Albania on March 15, 2008.

Based on crater sizes, the estimate is about 450,000+ pounds of TNT equivalent.

Bald1 reminded me about this event just north of San Francicso.

The Port Chicago explosion was July 17, 1944, 320 sailors died and the town was heavily damaged.

https://www.history.navy.mil/b...44/port-chicago.html

https://timeline.com/this-expl...ilitary-e38c8c9e01ee

http://www.usmm.org/portchicago.html

https://www.nps.gov/poch/index.htm

https://www.amazon.com/Behind-...615279074/ref=sr_1_1


The inland portion of Concord Naval Weapons Station is now closed, but explosion was at the docks in the tidal area, military property still used for ammo shipments.

You can visit the memorial, but it requires reservations two weeks in advance. Besides, it’s now closed for the corona virus:

https://www.nps.gov/poch/plany...and-reservations.htm

Thanks for sharing this. I'm fascinated by all of these events that are all but forgotten now.

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmund:
Bald1 reminded me about this event just north of San Francisco.

Thanks Ron. Yeah visiting that site while stationed at nearby Mare Island left an eerie impression on me that's hard to fully describe. That and knowing that the "Port Chicago 50" hung out to dry over the accident have never fully been exonerated.