Warren, PA Refinery Explosion, Apr 1968

UNITED REFINERY BLAST IN WARREN KILLS 2 MEN.

Warren -- An explosion followed by fire in cat cracker division killed two men and injured another in the United Refinery in Warren shortly before midnight Wednesday of last week.
Killed in the blast were EARL J. BRIAN, of Clarendon and LLOYD G. ALBOUGH, of Warren. Injured was RICHARD L. PETERSON, of Warren.
No estimate of the loss was available immediately according to John P. Wendell, vice president.
A worker employed at the plant at the time of the explosion said that he believed the blast had occurred when the flames from the refinery's gas burnoff stack sucked back through into oil filled lines.
He said, "It blew the lines into spaghetti."
All of Warren's paid fire department was called out. They were joined by volunteer fire departments from Kane, Sheffield, Youngsville and Clarendon.
Shortly after 1 a.m. Thursday fire officials said the blaze "had been contained," but flames could be seen rising from the refinery complex which lies along the Allegheny River, the east side of Warren.

$50,000 DAMAGE ESTIMATED AFTER PLANT EXPLOSION.

Warren -- The United Refining Co. plant here resumed normal operations Thursday despite a scorching explosion and fire that killed two workmen and injured a third Wednesday night of last week.
John P. Wendell, vice president of the concern, estimated damage at $50,000.
As to the cause, he said:
"I suspect, as sometimes happens, the evidence is burned up in the fire."
The company official reported the explosion was touched off by a fire in the catalytic cracking equipment where petroleum is reduced to gasoline and heating fuel. The "cracker" unit had been shut down about three weeks for maintenance and was restored to service about noon Wednesday.
Other sections of the sprawling plant were not affected by the fire-explosion, according to Mr. Wendell.
Victims of the late-night incident, the first fatal fire at the refinery in about a decade, were EARL J. BRIAN, 60, of 309 S. Main St., Clarendon, and LLOYD G. ALBAUGH, 44, of 210 Alexander St., this borough.
They died instantly of first, second and third degree burns, shock and fractures. Rescuers were unable to remove the bodies for about two hours.
In satisfactory condition at Warren General Hospital is another United employe, RICHARD L. PETERSON, 41, of 405 Park St., who leaped into the adjacent Allegheny River which contained about five feet of water. He was burned about the face and neck.
The original explosion could be heard for several miles. The fire was controlled in about 90 minutes by firemen from Warren and nearby communities who remained on the scene until 6 a.m.

McKean County Democrate Smethport Pennsylvania 1968-04-11
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!