Moore County Tragedy
Shamrock Oil and Gas Plant, July 29, 1956
No history of Moore County would be complete without the story of the July 29, 1956, Shamrock Oil and Gas Company explosion, 12 miles northeast of Dumas.
The morning was a peaceful Sunday morning. Residents were going about their usual activities, not knowing their day was about to change.
A small fire started shortly before 6 a.m. in a tank in the $75 million tank farm. The 15,000-barrel Horton Sphere tank was holding methane. Shamrock plant fire fighters as well as Dumas and Sunray Fire Departments were fighting the fire and spraying nearby tanks to keep them cool.
A group of 100 to 150 spectators had gathered about 50 yards away, watching the small fire and the activities of the fire fighters. One of those was Bill Lask, news editor of the Moore County Daily News. "Suddenly there was this terrible explosion, not sharp, but a big thud like a rocket going off in the air. A moment later the concussion hit me. The heat from the burning tank had exploded a nearby tank. Then came a series of several more explosions. A bright orange mushroom boiled up, floating in heavy black smoke, and I prayed those fire fighters would get out alive. But, some didn't."
According to the official investigation by Dr. Clarence A. Seibert, University of Michigan, a consulting metal expert: "Time of the explosion was 6:53 a.m. as recorded by Southwestern Public Service Power feedback. Sunray Fire Department arrived at 6:15 a.m. and Dumas Fire Department arrived at 6:20 a.m. to control the fire on Tank 138. They recorded the source of the explosion as the fire heater in the base of asphalt Tank 31. The heater was downwind at a lower elevation than Tank 199. Fumes from a tank hugged the ground and traveled to an asphalt loading area where heaters were keeping the asphalt loadable." Tank 199 exploded, followed by a series of more tanks exploding.
T. M. Gutherie of the Dumas Volunteer Fire Department said he had just been relieved from manning a fire hose and was going back to one of the Dumas firetrucks. "We were attempting to cool down one of the tanks located near the one that was burning and it looked like we had it under control. The next thing I knew, there was an explosion and it seemed like everything was covered in fire." There were 40 to 50 men in the area when the tank exploded. Some of the men were protected in a shack 300 yards away. The shack was scorched, but saved the men's lives.
A railroad bridge a quarter of a mile from the explosion was burned completely. The fireball was seen in Amarillo, over fifty miles away.
A pilot flying in the area said, "It looked like the explosion of an atomic bomb. It shot into the sky and burst into a mushroom."
The explosions released about 11,000 barrels of pentane and hexanes, killing all who were within 700 feet of the tank. Fire radiation occurred 1200 feet from the source of the vapors.
Fire fighters from Amarillo Air Force Base were at the Canadian River enroute to the fire and heard the explosion when it happened.
Bob Hamilton, news reporter for Moore County News, was about one quarter of a mile away taking photographs for the newspaper. "It felt like someone was burning my face with a blow torch. I have never been that hot in my life." When the newspaper received news of the tank fire, Bob went to the plant and entered the guarded area against the advice of the sheriff and the plant guards. One tank was completely engulfed in brilliant orange flames. Three fire trucks with complete crews were near the tank on both sides. "When the burning tank exploded, I ran. Everybody ran."
Nineteen men were killed and 32 were hospitalized. Ambulances transported victims to Memorial Hospital in Dumas. The hospital was quickly filled. Additional doctors and nurses were called from neighboring towns to help care for the injured. Truckloads of supplies were brought in from area hospitals. Patients filled all the rooms and lined the halls. Some of the severely injured were sent by jet plane to burn centers. Many of the injured spent months in hospitals and in rehabilitation.
The morning was a peaceful Sunday morning. Residents were going about their usual activities, not knowing their day was about to change.
A small fire started shortly before 6 a.m. in a tank in the $75 million tank farm. The 15,000-barrel Horton Sphere tank was holding methane. Shamrock plant fire fighters as well as Dumas and Sunray Fire Departments were fighting the fire and spraying nearby tanks to keep them cool.
A group of 100 to 150 spectators had gathered about 50 yards away, watching the small fire and the activities of the fire fighters. One of those was Bill Lask, news editor of the Moore County Daily News. "Suddenly there was this terrible explosion, not sharp, but a big thud like a rocket going off in the air. A moment later the concussion hit me. The heat from the burning tank had exploded a nearby tank. Then came a series of several more explosions. A bright orange mushroom boiled up, floating in heavy black smoke, and I prayed those fire fighters would get out alive. But, some didn't."
According to the official investigation by Dr. Clarence A. Seibert, University of Michigan, a consulting metal expert: "Time of the explosion was 6:53 a.m. as recorded by Southwestern Public Service Power feedback. Sunray Fire Department arrived at 6:15 a.m. and Dumas Fire Department arrived at 6:20 a.m. to control the fire on Tank 138. They recorded the source of the explosion as the fire heater in the base of asphalt Tank 31. The heater was downwind at a lower elevation than Tank 199. Fumes from a tank hugged the ground and traveled to an asphalt loading area where heaters were keeping the asphalt loadable." Tank 199 exploded, followed by a series of more tanks exploding.
T. M. Gutherie of the Dumas Volunteer Fire Department said he had just been relieved from manning a fire hose and was going back to one of the Dumas firetrucks. "We were attempting to cool down one of the tanks located near the one that was burning and it looked like we had it under control. The next thing I knew, there was an explosion and it seemed like everything was covered in fire." There were 40 to 50 men in the area when the tank exploded. Some of the men were protected in a shack 300 yards away. The shack was scorched, but saved the men's lives.
A railroad bridge a quarter of a mile from the explosion was burned completely. The fireball was seen in Amarillo, over fifty miles away.
A pilot flying in the area said, "It looked like the explosion of an atomic bomb. It shot into the sky and burst into a mushroom."
The explosions released about 11,000 barrels of pentane and hexanes, killing all who were within 700 feet of the tank. Fire radiation occurred 1200 feet from the source of the vapors.
Fire fighters from Amarillo Air Force Base were at the Canadian River enroute to the fire and heard the explosion when it happened.
Bob Hamilton, news reporter for Moore County News, was about one quarter of a mile away taking photographs for the newspaper. "It felt like someone was burning my face with a blow torch. I have never been that hot in my life." When the newspaper received news of the tank fire, Bob went to the plant and entered the guarded area against the advice of the sheriff and the plant guards. One tank was completely engulfed in brilliant orange flames. Three fire trucks with complete crews were near the tank on both sides. "When the burning tank exploded, I ran. Everybody ran."
Nineteen men were killed and 32 were hospitalized. Ambulances transported victims to Memorial Hospital in Dumas. The hospital was quickly filled. Additional doctors and nurses were called from neighboring towns to help care for the injured. Truckloads of supplies were brought in from area hospitals. Patients filled all the rooms and lined the halls. Some of the severely injured were sent by jet plane to burn centers. Many of the injured spent months in hospitals and in rehabilitation.
The bodies of those who died were taken to the National Guard Armory where a temporary morgue was set up. Dumas fire fighters who died were Billy Joe Dunn, Samuel Gibson Jr., A. Oliver Milligan, Paschal Pool, Meryle Wayne Slagle and Donald Thompson. Sunray Volunteer Firemen who died were Ray Biles, Lewis A. Broxson, Gilford R. Corse, Claude L. Emmett and Durwood C. Lilley. Employees of Shamrock Oil and Gas who died were Ollen W. Cleveland, Alvin W. Freeman, Charles Lummus, James L. Rivers, Virgil Wayne Thomas, Joe Warlic West, Gayle D. Weir, and Ruebert Sam Weir.
Representatives from major news gathering agencies came for first-hand reports -- Associated Press, United Press, Time Magazine, Amarillo television station and regional newspapers and radio stations.
According to an article in 1983 on the anniversary of the disaster, Wilmer Crain, Dumas Fire Chief, said that never again will such a disaster involve firemen here. "Now we don't even go inside those plants. There is really nothing you can do but close everything off and let them burn out." In 1956, the theory was that such fires could be controlled by using foam.
A memorial stands at the courthouse and lists the men who lost their lives that Sunday morning. A display at Window on the Plains Museum tells the story of the tragedy.
Representatives from major news gathering agencies came for first-hand reports -- Associated Press, United Press, Time Magazine, Amarillo television station and regional newspapers and radio stations.
According to an article in 1983 on the anniversary of the disaster, Wilmer Crain, Dumas Fire Chief, said that never again will such a disaster involve firemen here. "Now we don't even go inside those plants. There is really nothing you can do but close everything off and let them burn out." In 1956, the theory was that such fires could be controlled by using foam.
A memorial stands at the courthouse and lists the men who lost their lives that Sunday morning. A display at Window on the Plains Museum tells the story of the tragedy.