The Thiokol chemical plant, located 12 miles southeast of Woodbine, Georgia was producing tripflares under a contract with the Army for use in the Vietnam War. One of the buildings where the flares were produced was M-132, a large windowless concrete block T shaped building. Eighty employees worked there, mostly black women. A fire broke out and everyone evacuated the building but they were unprepared for the explosion which followed at 10:53 A.M. Windows were shattered 11 miles away and the blast was heard 50 miles away. Twenty-four people were killed by the blast or died soon after. Five more died later and 50 or more suffered debilitating injuries. There is a monument with the names of the victims at the entrance to the plant.
The Thiokol chemical plant, located 12 miles southeast of Woodbine, Georgia was producing tripflares under a contract with the Army for use in the Vietnam War. One of the buildings where the flares were produced was M-132, a large windowless concrete block T shaped building. Eighty employees worked there, mostly black women. A fire broke out and everyone evacuated the building but they were unprepared for the explosion which followed at 10:53 A.M. Windows were shattered 11 miles away and the blast was heard 50 miles away. Twenty-four people were killed by the blast or died soon after. Five more died later and 50 or more suffered debilitating injuries. There is a monument with the names of the victims at the entrance to the plant.
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IN LOVING MEMORY
VICTIM OF THIOKOL EXPLOSION
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