From the Hammond Times , May 22,
1952
Monon Train Splinters Old Depot
30 Cars Derailed;
$250,000.00 Crash Starts Big Fire
LOWELL -- Alcohol in six tank cars burst into flames here at 12:20
a.m. today when 30 cars of a 68-car Monon freight jumped the tracks and
piled up four deep in the center of this centennial-celebrating town.
The town's business section was threatened when burning alcohol flowed
down the streets and into gutters. A number of manhole covers were blown
high into the air when the liquid ran into sewers and exploded.
Firemen from eight surrounding communities fought the flames, which
at times leaped up to a height of 40 feet. Departments from Lowell, Crown
Point, Cedar Lake, Lake Dalecarlia, Schneider, Shelby, St. John and Gary
were still on the scene at 10 o'clock this morning putting out small scattered
fires.
THE LOWELL depot, a 50-year-old landmark that had gained significance
because of the town's 100th anniversary, was "smashed into kindling"
by three freight cars. Later, flaming alcohol spewed over the building and
destroyed it.
Ironically, Lowell recently had requested the Monon to repair and
paint the depot because of the town's centennial celebration, scheduled
for the latter part of August.
T.V. Sherrier, Monon superintendent who was on the scene directing
operations of two railroad wreckers, said it will take up to midnight for
the small army of workmen to clear the main line.
While he declined to comment on the amount of damage, it was estimated
by one railroad official at $250,000. Sherrier said an immediate investigation
will be held to determine the cause of the accident.
THE USUAL speed of Monon trains through Lowell is 40 miles an hour,
Sherrier stated. A railroad spokesman in Chicago said the smashup probably
was caused by a broken wheel.
The middle 30 cars of the train were derailed, Sherrier explained.
He said the first 16 cars were pulled to Louisville by the engine and that
the rear 24 cars were hauled back to Hammond. The train was headed out of
Chicago for Louisville.
Twenty-eight of the 30 cars that tipped over were loaded with alcohol,
meat, syrup and steel. The other two cars were empty.
Sherrier said trains will be rerouted from Monon, Ind., to Wilders,
where they will be switched over to the Erie tracks which run into Hammond.
He said it will take at least two days before all the wreckage is removed.
BUD QUALE, a Lowell mechanic, was one of two eyewitnesses to the crash,
He was in his car about 250 feet west of the tracks when the smashup occurred.
When the cars started toppling, Quale said he backed up quickly, as
did a car in front of him, driven by a woman.
The fire started immediately after the pile-up, Quale said, "and
for a while it looked like the whole business district would go up in flames."
Fire departments, however, started arriving in a matter of minutes,
but it took 200 firemen nearly four hours to control the blaze.
COMMERCIAL Ave., Lowell's main street, was still completely blocked
late this morning by freight cars jammed on top of each other to a height
of 30 feet.
Harold Heuson, 43-year-old volunteer fireman from Lowell, said intense
heat kept firemen 100 feet away and hampered efforts to bring the blaze
under control. "We thought the whole town was going up," Heuson
said, "but the boys really pitched in to stop it. If the tank cars
had gone 100 feet further, though, there wouldn't have been much we could
have done to save the business section."
Firefighters feared the alcohol would "let go" after several
small explosions rocked the area, but seven pump trucks spraying water and
one foamite unit prevented a large blast.
AFTER THE wreck occurred, nearly all of Lowell's 1,700 residents rushed
to the scene. This morning, 12 deputy sheriffs headed by Chief Deputy Sandor
Singer were attempting to keep back the crowd and prevent injury.
"Meat, syrup, steel and splintered and smoldering cars jammed
up for a distance of 800 feet along the tracks. Some of the alcohol flowed
as far as 400 feet down the street, pouring into a sewer in front of the
Cullen Chevrolet Sales shop.
Many residents were seen carrying off battered cans of meat, but a
railroad official explained that because of the damage the meat is useless.
Shortly after the crash, a group of Lowell women, headed by Mrs. Fred
Hutton, set up a coffee and sandwich stand to feed volunteer firemen who
worked throughout the night.
The Monon superintendent explained that safety valves on the tank
cars carrying alcohol prevented what might have been a tragic explosion.
Stories courtesy of Lowell
Library/ Lowell Historical Society
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