My 2 aunts died there- Helen and Ann Smoot. I am named after Helen. She was the valedictorian and was asked to play hooky that day- but decided to go to school like a good girl. I read that a man confessed to opening up the gas valve because he was mad at the principal who got after him for smoking. He wanted the school to have to pay for all the wasted gas. He confessed on his deathbed. Who knows?? Horrible disastor.
The final death toll will never be fully known. The official estimates range from 293-298, but it may have been twice that; many of the residents of New London at the time were transient oilfield workers, and there is no way to determine for certain how many of these roughnecks collected the bodies of their children in the days following the disaster, and returned them to their respective homes for burial.
What a stupid comment made previously. As someone who has seen a test run of this film at the last school explosion reunion, I can till you it is special beyond words. So many are looking forward to it. My understanding is it will be available soon and is being considered for a national broadcast. The New London School explosion far and away remains the biggest school tragedy and one of our nation's largest man-made disasters.
The school wanted to save money so they taped into a natural gas line! It`s been told that a maintenance or janitor had started up a saw or something and it ignited and cause the explosion.
i live pretty close to this town i plan to go there one weekend and read up on this and visit the place where it happened and learn more about it(sad sad deal!!)
My father was in the explosion, he too had a beam across his legs. The doctors wanted to amputate both of them and his father would not let them. He went on to be in WWII on the USS Indianapolis, he was on sick leave when his ship was sunk. He had a wonderful outlook on life, out of tragedy came a incredible man, who believed every moment and every person was special. Eckhart Tolle is just now teaching people to live in the awareness my father taught me to live in.
We just returned from the New London museum in New London, Texas. This was a very moving experience. The guides are survivors of the explosion or family members of the victims. Many lessons to be learned here.
My Uncle Bill is in this video. He never really talked about it to us. From what I remember, the reason for the explosion was that the school district were trying to cut cost and knew their was a problem with the boiler, but just didn't get it fixed. I forgot the reason. I think they were hoping for one of the oil companies to donate the money to pay for the fixing of the broiler.
A good friend of mine father is in this video his name is Bill Grigg he is the one that is sitting in front of the rock wall about half way into the video.
whot was the person that confessed to the explosion? was he the janitor
7811sparky 1 month ago
My 2 aunts died there- Helen and Ann Smoot. I am named after Helen. She was the valedictorian and was asked to play hooky that day- but decided to go to school like a good girl. I read that a man confessed to opening up the gas valve because he was mad at the principal who got after him for smoking. He wanted the school to have to pay for all the wasted gas. He confessed on his deathbed. Who knows?? Horrible disastor.
helensmoot 7 months ago
This is the history as to why odor was added to natural gas
imaStonesGirl 2 years ago
this is messed up, never heard of this before.
elvis316 2 years ago
yeah it is real sad most were little kids!
a lot of people never heard of this tragedy be4 (it should be known)
it is when gas didn`t have a smell and after this happen is when they added a scent to gas so people would know when it is a gas leak and be warned
imaStonesGirl 2 years ago
Was it 425 or 293 who perished? Universal's reel may have been based on faulty and fragmented information just coming out of the event.
wkat950 2 years ago
The final death toll will never be fully known. The official estimates range from 293-298, but it may have been twice that; many of the residents of New London at the time were transient oilfield workers, and there is no way to determine for certain how many of these roughnecks collected the bodies of their children in the days following the disaster, and returned them to their respective homes for burial.
lothartheterrible 2 years ago
@wkat950 There were 293 killed in the explosion. 28 more died later making 325. I had 12 cousins killed.
MeVinson37 2 years ago
What a stupid comment made previously. As someone who has seen a test run of this film at the last school explosion reunion, I can till you it is special beyond words. So many are looking forward to it. My understanding is it will be available soon and is being considered for a national broadcast. The New London School explosion far and away remains the biggest school tragedy and one of our nation's largest man-made disasters.
texantilltheend 2 years ago 3
so what caused this? RIP to all those involved.. screw the angels weeping stuff? Can an educated american fill me in?
nigispangy 2 years ago
The school wanted to save money so they taped into a natural gas line! It`s been told that a maintenance or janitor had started up a saw or something and it ignited and cause the explosion.
i live pretty close to this town i plan to go there one weekend and read up on this and visit the place where it happened and learn more about it(sad sad deal!!)
imaStonesGirl 2 years ago
What a tragedy.
valerie1809 2 years ago
My father was in the explosion, he too had a beam across his legs. The doctors wanted to amputate both of them and his father would not let them. He went on to be in WWII on the USS Indianapolis, he was on sick leave when his ship was sunk. He had a wonderful outlook on life, out of tragedy came a incredible man, who believed every moment and every person was special. Eckhart Tolle is just now teaching people to live in the awareness my father taught me to live in.
Cooperandfriends 2 years ago
We just returned from the New London museum in New London, Texas. This was a very moving experience. The guides are survivors of the explosion or family members of the victims. Many lessons to be learned here.
glebrown 2 years ago
My Uncle Bill is in this video. He never really talked about it to us. From what I remember, the reason for the explosion was that the school district were trying to cut cost and knew their was a problem with the boiler, but just didn't get it fixed. I forgot the reason. I think they were hoping for one of the oil companies to donate the money to pay for the fixing of the broiler.
charcoalconverse 3 years ago
A good friend of mine father is in this video his name is Bill Grigg he is the one that is sitting in front of the rock wall about half way into the video.
LONEWOLF3288 3 years ago