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California Burning: Photographs from the Los Angeles Examiner

Hancock Refinery Fire in Signal Hill, 1958

The image displays firefighters and other professionals' efforts to extinguish the fire at the Hancock Oil Refinery in Signal Hill, California in 1958. The Hancock Oil Refinery Fire commenced on May 22, 1958, when one of the factory’s fifty tanks bulged and ruptured on top, releasing oil in a flood. Before the rupture, employees noticed that steam was rising from one of the 80,000 gallon oil barrel tanks. After ten minutes of oil flooding from the tank, an employee at the refinery, Walter Neff, noted that the “crown piece on top of the tank - it must have been about 12 feet across and weighed maybe 1000 pounds - went flying up,” resulting in the oil being set ablaze.[1] Subsequently, the whole plant ignited and 860,000 gallons “of highly volatile, deadly poison tetraethyl lead” stood near the fire, threatening refinery workers and other nearby civilians. The flames emerged in a series of explosions, destroying the $15,000,000 refinery. The fire extended a quarter of a mile, threatening both Long Beach Municipal Airport and Long Beach General Hospital. Toxic fumes pervaded these areas, causing patients at Long Beach General Hospital to evacuate.[2] Firemen from various county districts quickly arrived on the scene, applying water to the flames. Police officers promptly sealed off the area for public safety; additionally, soldiers in barracks and fifty ambulances soon arrived. Firefighters feared that if the tetraethyl lead escaped, “the evacuation area would have to extend as far as the winds could carry the fumes.”[3] The fire had onlookers in shock, fleeing the plant shouting “Run for your lives!”[4] Although most were running from the fire, worried relatives of refinery workers arrived on the scene to search for their loved ones.[5] Fires extended through the night, with 100 firefighters, 100 police officers, 100 volunteers and 60 ambulance drivers fighting to control the flames.[6] The fire continued for two days before being contained. The flames damaged homes and cars in a 15 mile radius and it was estimated that damages totaled $8,000,0005 An insurance company in Long Beach estimated that 15,000 insurance claims would likely be filed as a result of smoke damage. The Fire killed two employees and injured eight and there was extensive land destruction making the Signal Hill Fire one of the most significant fires in Los Angeles history.

[1] “Four Saw Steam -And Then Tank Ripped by Blast,” Los Angeles Examiner (May 23, 1958), Los Angeles Examiner Clippings Collection, University of Southern California Special Collections.

[2] “Hancock Oil Refinery Fire Declared Out,” Los Angeles Times (May 25, 1958), A1.

[3] “New Signal Hill Oil Blast Peril,” Los Angeles Times (May 23, 1958), 1.

[3] “‘Pink Mist’ Over Tank 1st Warning,” Los Angeles Examiner (May 23, 1958), Los Angeles Examiner Clippings Collection, University of Southern California Special Collections. “New Signal Hill Oil Blast Peril,” Los Angeles Times (May 23, 1958), 1.

[4] “100 Men, 20 Rigs Pitted Against Oil-Fed Blaze”, Los Angeles Examiner (May 24, 1958), Los Angeles Examiner Clippings Collection, University of Southern California Special Collections.

[5] “Homes, Cars Damaged 15 Mi. Away,” Los Angeles Examiner (May 24, 1958), Los Angeles Examiner Clippings Collection, University of Southern California Special Collections.

[6] “Hancock Oil Refinery Fire Declared Out,” Los Angeles Times, (May 25, 1958), A1.

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3. Brush fire (Rio Hondo fire), 1951 Depicted is a brush fire emerging in Rio Hondo, a tributary of Los Angeles County whose name derives from the 'deep river' - Rio Hondo - that runs parallel to the San Gabriel River. Even as an area of land named after a body of water, fires still manage to ravage the land, and the efforts to mitigate this state of emergency caused no shortage of worry and damage. The fire spread rapidly through the brushes upon it's kindling, burning more than 50 acres of land and damaging two houses within a few hours [1]. The dry climate helped propagate the fire and spread embers to rooftops where the smoldering did most of its damage [5]. While the fire fortunately maintained itself within the riverbed [4], it didn't make the lives of the Los Angeles Fire Department easy. They had to storm together a 10 unit battalion that aggregated teams from Whitter and the State Department of Forestry to contain the flame. Shown in the image is the efforts of the fire department mobilizing to eliminate the flame. To that end they were able to shut down the fire in two hours, even deploying tractors with dozer blades in order to eliminate the immediate presence of fuel. While the nature of the fire was calmed quickly, quantifiable amounts of damage were done to the surroundings, and fire fighters were dispatched throughout the night to ensure embers didn't form again [1]. Fires like these continued to strike the area, and in 2005, volunteers and Angeles Chapter Staff came together to form a campaign called the Emerald Necklace which aims to plant trees and brushes that reinstate the park experience that perhaps once existed in the area [6].
4. Chatsworth Brush Fires, 1957
14. Warner Brothers Studio Fire (Burbank), 1952

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