1919 Standard Oil Company fire

On September 13, 1919, a fire and explosion occurred at the Standard Oil Company in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York City.

1919 Standard Oil Company fire
DateSeptember 13, 1919 (1919-09-13)
TimeStarted 2:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)[1]
LocationStandard Oil Company Campus, Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York City
Non-fatal injuries300

Fire

The Standard Oil Company Campus and former Astral Oil Works was spread out over 20 acres (0.081 km2).[2] A fire broke in Tank No. 36 on the Standard Oil Company Campus around 2:00 p.m., but before the New York City Fire Department was called, the tank ignited, sparking off multiple fires throughout the campus.[1] The yard held large quantities of naphtha, gasoline, oil and alcohol and more 1000 barrels of other explosive and flammable liquids.[1] The fire burned furiously for three days, destroying millions of gallons of oil and caused damage estimated at $5,000,000 ($73,733,200 in 2020).[3] Over 1,000 firemen fought the spectacular blaze, 300 of which were treated for burns and minor injuries.[3]

Standard Oil’s Brooklyn refinery may have been an intentional attempt to clear the land and draw insurance.[4] The fire site is now the location of the Bayside Fuel Oil depot at Bushwick Inlet.[4]

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See also

References

Notes

  1. Hashagen 2002, p. 62.
  2. Atlas Obscura 2019.
  3. New-York Tribune 1919, p. 5.
  4. Mother Jones 2007.

Bibliography

  • Atlas Obscura (2019). "Brooklyn Fire Department House on Norman Avenue". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved September 21, 2019.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Hashagen, Paul (2002). Fire Department, City of New York. Turner Publishing Company. ISBN 9781563118326.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link) - Total pages: 272
  • Mother Jones (September 14, 2007). "The Brooklyn Oil Spill: A Timeline". Mother Jones. Retrieved September 21, 2019.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • New-York Tribune (September 21, 1919). "The Greatest Fire New York Has Ever Known". New-York Tribune. New York: Greeley & McElrath. pp. 1–20. ISSN 2158-2661. OCLC 9388331. Retrieved September 21, 2019.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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