Photos: Explosions at Dye Oxygen Co. in 1965
An explosion and fire in 1965 at Dye Oxygen Co., 120 W. 36th St., in South Tucson, sent a 200-pound acetylene tank “more than 10 stories into the air.” It landed just 30 feet from children evacuating nearby Mission View Elementary. Volunteers grabbed hoses and dodged exploding tanks as the small fire department struggled to keep the blaze on the docks and away from a 4,400-gallon tank of liquid oxygen. One man was thrown 30 feet into the air during the initial explosions. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured. Homes now sit at the site of the fire.
Explosions at Dye Oxygen Co. in 1965
Volunteers help firefighters after an explosion and fire at Dye Oxygen Co., 120 W. 36th St., South Tucson, on May 26, 1965. Art Grasberger / Tucson Citizen
Explosions at Dye Oxygen Co. in 1965
Volunteers dodged exploding acetylene tanks during an explosion and fire at Dye Oxygen Co., 120 W. 36th St., South Tucson, on May 26, 1965. Firefighters coped with unpredictable explosions, deadly gases and bursts of flame for nearly an hour. Art Grasberger / Tucson Citizen
Explosions at Dye Oxygen Co. in 1965
Volunteers help a lone S. Tucson firefighter during an explosion and fire at Dye Oxygen Co., 120 W. 36th St., South Tucson, on May 26, 1965. "It was like hell – like an inferno, tanks blowing up," said the S. Tucson fire chief. Art Grasberger / Tucson Citizen
Explosions at Dye Oxygen Co. in 1965
Firefighters successfully kept the fire away from a 4,440 gallon liquid oxygen tank at Dye Oxygen Co., 120 W. 36th St., South Tucson, on May 26, 1965. Art Grasberger / Tucson Citizen
Explosions at Dye Oxygen Co. in 1965
A telephone lineman – precariously close to electric lines – removes a piece of debris from phone lines after an explosion and fire at Dye Oxygen Co., 120 W. 36th St., South Tucson, on May 26, 1965. Art Grasberger / Tucson Citizen
Explosions at Dye Oxygen Co. in 1965
Volunteers and employees were often pinned down by exploding acetylene tanks during a fire at Dye Oxygen Co., 120 W. 36th St., South Tucson, on May 26, 1965. Art Grasberger / Tucson Citizen
Explosions at Dye Oxygen Co. in 1965
A crumpled acetylene tank that blew from a loading dock during a fire at Dye Oxygen Co., 120 W. 36th St., South Tucson, on May 26, 1965. One tank landed at nearby Mission View Elementary School. Art Grasberger / Tucson Citizen
Explosions at Dye Oxygen Co. in 1965
Firefighters from Davis-Monthan AFB remove tanks at risk after an explosion and fire at Dye Oxygen Co., 120 W. 36th St., South Tucson, on May 26, 1965. Art Grasberger / Tucson Citizen
Rick Wiley
Photo editor
A fire in 1965 sent oxygen tanks flying into the air.