50th anniversary of truck explosion

[Shakey Jake]

I remember this well as it happened when I was in high school in nearby Sarcoxie, Mo fifty years ago today. A sniper shot at a truck carrying explosives for Atlas powder (located near Dueneweg, MO at the time). The truck was near the Republic, MO exit off Interstate 44 and Bois D' Arc road (close to Springfield, MO.). It left a massive crater in Interstate 44 30 feet deep and 50 feet wide, killing the driver instantly. It was reported that the truck was carrying 29 tons of explosive materials. There was a Teamsters strike against the company and two former drivers and one other individual were charged and and two convicted of the crime.
Jake

[Shakey Jake]

Well, darn, I guess my memory is not as good as I thought. Here's a link to the story. Seems it wasn't Atlas Powder after all and I'm a couple of days late. https://www.nytimes.com/1970/10/01/arch ... urder.html
Jake

[JEBar]

interesting .... it looks like a story I should remember but I don't

[dave77]

Reminds me of an explosion we had years ago of a train car loaded with what was basically nitrogen fertilizer. Caused a lot of damage to nearby buildings, completely destroyed a few of the closest ones. I was quail hunting on the hillside at least a mile away from the explosion a few years later and found a foot long chunk of train track.

https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/loc ... 71995.html