University of Pittsburgh - Owl Yearbook (Pittsburgh, PA)

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Tragedy struck the Pitt Campus on Thursday. January 20, 1977 with an explosion in Langley Hall. The explosion knocked apart lecture hall 221 and sent the dividing wall into adjacent lecture hall 223. The ceiling immediately collapsed. Fortunately no class was in session in 221, but an Animal Psychology lecture was taking place in 223. An eyewitness in room 223 recalled the events clearly. “I heard a rumbling noise behind me and turned to sec the walls coming down. Students fled in all directions. It was horrible! Between 150 160 students were present in the specific area of the explosion. Most made it out unscathed, but 49 were injured, and two died, Carlccn Cum a Project Right-Start secretary, and Patricia Hostetler, a student from Donegal, Pa. No fire accompanied the blast, but rescue crews and twelve fire companies were at the scene soon after the 12:40 PM explosion. Heavy cranes, power saws, and acetylene torches had to be used to remove the few trapped victims from the ruins. Nine of the firemen were treated at area hospitals as a result of methane and nitrobenzene gas inhalation. Throughout the day. hundreds of Pitt students and Oakland residents responded to the request for blood by nearby blood banks. There was such a surplus of volunteers that many had to be bused downtown because of congestion at Oakland facilities. Clergymen of all denominations offered services for the dead and injured throughout the Pittsburgh area and a special Memorial Service was held Monday, January 24. 1977 in Heinz Chapel for Carlccn Curry and Patricia Hostetler. Though the cause of the blast has yet to be determined. the theory of gas has come to be the most accepted reason for the explosion. Explosion Rocks Langley Hall Men mount a pulley later used to clear beam debris. Equitable Gas workers gaze at the damage to Langley Hall.

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Channel M's Instant News was at the scene soon after the explosion. All types of emergency units were ready to help the 49 injured A crane still worked as a memorial service took place in Heinz Chapel.