In article ,
Jim Davis wrote:
On August 9, 1965 a fire in a Titan 2 silo near Little Rock, Arkansas
killed 53-workers. There were 2 survivors.

But did that involve a rocket? I was under the impression that the silo was
under construction at the time and no missile was in the silo.

No, that was an operational silo, with a fueled missile in it (although
the warhead had been removed because civilian workers were in the silo).
The silo was being overhauled to improve hardening and to upgrade various
subsystems.

A difficult structural welding job was being done in close proximity to
hydraulic lines, and accidental damage to a hydraulic line released a
spray of hydraulic fluid, which ignited. Worse, although the weld rig in
question was electric, there was an oxyacetylene torch rig nearby, with
the torch shut off but the cylinder valves open, and the fire quickly
burned through its hoses.

Most of the workers died of anoxia or smoke inhalation; the two who
survived basically were near exits and got out fast. Ventilation of the
silo was not great to begin with, and parts of the ventilation system were
inoperative due to modifications in progress. Safety precautions taken
for the modification work were generally inadequate: not enough escape
routes, not enough protective gear, inadequate safety supervision, too
many people doing too many different things in a confined space. Even
precautions that *were* supposed to be taken weren't, e.g. a number of the
dead had cigarettes and lighters in their pockets.
--
MOST launched 30 June; first light, 29 July; 5arcsec | Henry Spencer
pointing, 10 Sept; first science, early Oct; all well. |