Butts - Larry - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

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Butts - Larry

Source: South Bend Tribune 12 Oct 1969 p 8

Plymouth - Larry Butts 19 Crawfordsville injured critically Oct 2 in an explosion at Ancilla Domini Convent, died Friday at Robert Long Hospital, Indianapolis. A second man injured in the explosion, Buck Martin, 32 also of Crawfordsville had died Oct 4 at the hospital. Butts had suffered burns over 69% of his body and Martin burns over 100% of his body.  The two men were employees of the WIlliam Bech Hess Co, Crawfordsville and were in a 39,000 gallon underground fuel tank when a floodlight they were using fell and broke, setting off the explosion. It was not definitely determined if the explosion was caused by emery cloth the men were using or due to fumes from an alcohol solution used in cleaning. A third man, Joseph Cosby, Crawfordsville foreman of the crew was outside the tank and suffered only minor head burns.

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