Doxol Fire Tragedy as per Mohave Museum of History and Art

 The Doxol Fire Tragedy is engrained in the fiber of Kingman.  One of the local high schools is called Lee Williams after a volunteer fireman who was principle at Kingman High School.  Their mascot is the Volunteers.  

On July 5, 1973, during the transfer of gas from a rail car a fire started which killed a Doxol employee immediately.  Another employee was able to summon the fire department.  This set up the tragedy.  They firemen tried to keep the tank cool as best they could, but it exploded killing twelve men.  

Is this the Doxol Fire Epicenter?

The Doxol fire claimed the lives of eleven volunteer firemen, a worker and a policeman.  It happenned July 5, 1973.  I have read that the Doxol fire took place across from where NAPA is located.  This pyramid structure is across from NAPA and south of the Martin Swanty dealership.  So I was wondering if this marks the location.  Most everything else in the area is vacant; as I have also read was the result of the fire.  When the tank exploded fire rained down over quite an area and many spectators were injured who were watching from across route 66.  There is a no trespassing sign so picture from a distance.

Book Review: Kingman History: 50 Stories of Kingman

Kingman History: 50 Stories of Kingman by Loren B. Wilson, publisher not given, 2007.  I found it at Kingman library.

Loren Wilson was a teacher in Kingman for 40 years, and a long term volunteer at the Mohave County Museum.  As such he tells many stories from Kingman and Mohave County.  These stories include 7000 planes at Kingman Airport at the end of WWII, the original airport in Kingman which extended form Airway and Banks to the current fairgrounds.  A story of two graves found in the Black Mountains which turned out being a Chinese woman and her mother.  The woman was traveling with her new African American husband to Nevada after celebrating her marriage in Cerbat.  They were traveling by wagon and their water barrel leaked.  The horses could not go further so the husband walked out to get help.  He returned too late and the the women had died.

The author tells many biographical sketches from early Kingman pioneers.  He talks of a plane crash on the railroad tracks in the early days of Kingman.  He also tells the story of an Amtrak derailment outside of town and of course the Doxol Fire which killed eleven volunteer firemen, and a few others, and injured many more.  

He has piqued my interest with archeological sites and other historical sites in the area.  This includes Native American items found in several spots, Petroglyphs, and the sites at Ft. Beale.  

He tells of Andy Devine, Edward Beale, the connection of Louis L' Amour to the area, Roy Purcell and many others.  He also tells of stories of several old buildings including the old hospital, the Red School and the Grammar School and Hotel Beale.  He also recounts Route 66.

I recommend this book for those interested in local history.

Kingman Doxol Fire July 5, 1973

 One of those events which defines a community occurred in Kingman during the summer of 1973.  A tanker was transferring propane to several tanks.  This was at the Doxol Gas Western Energy Company.  The rail tanker was on a spur of the rail road and the propane was being transported to storage tanks 75 yards away.  One of the valves was leaking.  A wrench was used to attempt to close the valve, but this created a spark which ignited the propane and it burned like a blow torch.  Two rail workers were injured, and one would die.  The second, although injured, would cross the street and make it to the highway patrol office and report the fire.  The fire department was summoned.  At that time Kingman had a volunteer fire department.  They lack equipment to put the fire out, but were trying to keep the tanker cool by spraying water.  Their efforts failed and the propane tank exploded.  This created a blast which enveloped the firemen.  Eleven firemen passed away, one train worker and one police officer.  Not only that but spectators had formed along the route 66 on the other side of the highway.  Flaming debris rained on the spectators.  The original tank car landed a quarter mile away.  Mohave General received 107 injured people.  The worse cases were sent by plane or helicopter to Phoenix and Las Vegas.  The fact that the newly constructed high school was named Lee Williams attests that this event still forms part of the local psychic.   Lee Williams was principal at Kingman High School and also a volunteer fireman who perished that day.  

Area Historic Points of Interest has a very good article with links to the memorial site and stories of the firemen who passed away.  

The Welcome to Kingman article includes some very good photos.

There is a video of pictures on Facebook Promote Kingman.

warped metal plate at Memorial Park