An explosion caused by a spark from a welding torch touched off a fire Friday morning at E. Blankenship & Co. which destroyed a machine shop and damaged a warehouse. Earl Blankenship, head of the firm estimated damage to the machine shop and its contents would be at least $70,000. He said the loss in the warehouse could not be estimated until an inventory is taken. Explosion of a tank of cleaning fluid spread flames throughout the machine shop located on West Union Street near the C & E I railroad. The flames spread across the street south to the warehouse located between the machine shop and the two-story brick building on West Main Street which houses the firm’s offices and auto accessory store. The main building was not affected by the fire. The blast set off a smaller fire caused when a spark from a welding torch ignited gasoline leaking from a truck. Bob Lackey, shop foreman, said the blaze spread beyond control when the exploding tank sprayed gasoline about the shop. George Suchoki and Walter Fozzard were working on a truck at the rear of the shop when a spark from Suchoki’s welding torch set off the fire, Lackey said. Eleven men were working in the shop at the time, Lackey said. No one was injured. The blaze collapsed two-thirds of the roof of the machine shop, burning out the partitions, rafters and supports, leaving the damaged concrete walls standing. It spread, however to the contents off the warehouse just east of the shop and burned wooden and cardboard cartons of auto accessories but did not collapse the sheet metal roof. Small containers of gas and oil were stored in the buildings, some of which caused small explosions. The company stores most of its volatile supplies outside of town, Lackey said. The shop building was 165 by 32 feet and the warehouse 90 by 30 feet. Marion firemen, assisted by police, fought the blaze through knocked out windows and climbing on the roofs to spray water down on the fire which had spread throughout the building. Herrin, West Frankfort and Colp departments also reached the scene in time to help control the flames.

(Extracted  from local newspapers and compiled by Harry Boyd, posted at http://www.marionfire.us )