On 20 February 1947, a large accidental explosion at the O'Connor Plating Works at 926
East Pico Boulevard in
Los Angeles killed seventeen people and injured more than one hundred. Eleven nearby buildings were damaged beyond repair. Press reports mentioned a crater.
The explosion was caused by the improper handling of
perchloric acid, which the plant was using as an experimental method for polishing aluminum. On the day of the accident, the cooling unit required to store perchloric acid safely was not working. A vessel of of the chemical was boiling and may have ignited when a plastic rack was lowered into it.
, a Los Angeles television announcer, was working for the experimental television station W6XYZ located nearby and quickly began broadcasting from the disaster site. Two days later, the station was licensed for commercial operation as
KTLA-TV.
In popular culture
The event served as the main inspiration for "Nicholson Electroplating", a fictional case featured in the 2011 video game ''
L.A. Noire'' as
downloadable content.
See also
*
SS Sansinena
SS ''Sansinena'' was a Liberian oil tanker that exploded in Los Angeles harbor on Friday, 17 December 1976 at 7:33pm. She was docked at berth 46 at Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, California.
The vessel was a steamship built in 1958. At its fina ...
oil tanker that exploded in Los Angeles.
References
Industrial fires and explosions in the United States
1947 disasters in the United States
1947 in California
Explosions in 1947
History of Los Angeles
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