1963 Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum gas explosion

Mass casualty event in Indianapolis December 2021 December 2021 1963 Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum gas explosion Aftermath of October 31, 1963 gas explosion at Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum.jpg Aftermath of the gas explosion with stacks of chairs and debris near the bleachers. October 31, 1963 Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. Gas explosion 81 ~400 39 49 39 N 86 8 6 W region:US inline,title Gas leak 11:06 p.m. Eastern Time Zone On October 31, 1963, a gas explosion occurred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum in Indianapolis, United States, killing 81 people and injuring about 400 others. It was one of the worst disasters in the history of the state. On the night of October 31, over 4,000 people were in the coliseum to watch a Holiday on Ice performance. While this was happening, liquefied petroleum gas was leaking from a tank that was stored with several others in a supply room underneath a part of the grandstands. Shortly after 11 p.m. ET, the gas came into contact with an electrical heating element from the concessions area, causing a major explosion that killed many seated above the room and caused significant damage to the stands. After the initial blast, while people were evacuating, a second blast caused by the remaining, unexploded tanks resulted in further destruction. Firefighters and other emergency responders were at the site within minutes and survivors were transported via ambulance to various hospitals in the area. The gas tanks were discovered by firefighters during cleanup operations and later testing revealed that they were the cause of the explosion. Following the disaster, a grand jury indicted seven people in total, including employees of the gas provider and the company that operated the arena, as well as the state fire marshal and the city fire chief. However, at later dates all of the individuals either had their charges dropped or their convictions overturned. Victims of the explosion were eventually awarded $4.6 million in settlements. Several city and state agencies investigated the explosion, and it was one of the first events studied by the Disaster Research Center, a research group organized earlier that year to study large-scale disasters. The arena reopened about six weeks after the incident and still stands on the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Background thumb|The explosion occurred inside the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum (pictured 2014) The Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum is a multi-use arena with a seating capacity of about 7,800 located on the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis.Drabek 1968 1 On the night of October 31, 1963, 4,327 spectators were present at the arena to see the opening-night performance of Holiday on Ice.Drabek 1968 1Campbell 2013 This was the first performance of the ice show's scheduled eleven-day run in Indianapolis,MacGregor 2003 124 and the coliseum promoted it as part of its "Shriners Night".Drabek 1968 1West 1994 458 It had been raining throughout the night and, because it was Halloween, the Indianapolis Police Department (IPD) had activated more police officers than usual.Drabek 1968 1 The show had been scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. EST,MacGregor 2003 124 but it had started about fifteen minutes behind schedule, and around 11 p.m., the finale was about to begin.Drabek 1968 1–2 Explosion The explosion occurred at 11:06 p.m.,note This is the exact time given in a 1968 case study on the explosion issued by the Disaster Research Center (DRC).Drabek 1968 2 However, a 2003 article published in Indianapolis Monthly gives the time of the explosion as 11:04 p.m.MacGregor 2003 124 during the show's finale.Cavinder 1985 2Campbell 2013 The explosion was centered on the southeastern end of the arena,Drabek 1968 2–3MacGregor 2003 124Rader 2016 just underneath the box seats of Aisle 13.Drabek 1968 3MacGregor 2003 124West 1994 458 The initial blast lifted approximately 700 sqft m2 -1 of floor and launched debris and spectators towards the ice rink.Drabek 1968 2–3 Shortly thereafter, a load-bearing wall underneath the stands gave way and caused an additional cave-in of about 500 sqft m2 -1 of floor.Drabek 1968 3 A few minutes after the initial blast,note Estimates vary on the time between blasts, with ranges of between three and eight minutes.Drabek 1968 3 A 1968 case study of the incident published by the DRC states that the shorter time estimates are probably the most accurate.Drabek 1968 3 a smaller explosion occurred that produced a fireball that rose 40 ft m -1 high.Drabek 1968 3 Both before and after this second blast, evacuations of the arena were underway, with the spectators mostly leaving in an orderly fashion.Drabek 1968 3 During the evacuation, the Holiday on Ice orchestra continued to play and reports of the evacuation make note that there was no significant mass panic, with many of the evacuees experiencing shock.MacGregor 2003 127West 1994 458Campbell 2013 The location of the explosions had left a crater measuring approximately 50 ft m across that contained a great deal of rubble and a small fire.Drabek 1968 3 Emergency response thumb|left|Volunteers shovel the debris in the aftermath of the explosion. Within a minute of the first explosion, an off-duty firefighter who was in the audience telephoned the headquarters of the Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD) and informed them of the situation,Drabek 1968 7 immediately identifying the incident as a gas explosion.Drabek 1968 57 This call also alerted the IPD, as the dispatchers for the IFD and the IPD regularly monitored each other's calls.Drabek 1968 7–8 Very shortly after this call, another off-duty firefighter at the coliseum called the IFD and requested that ambulances be sent to the scene.Drabek 1968 58 As a result, in the first notification that any hospital received of the disaster, the dispatcher called a local hospital and requested that all three of their ambulances be sent to the arena.Drabek 1968 58 At 11:11 p.m., the IFD contacted the IPD directly to ensure that they were aware of the situation.Drabek 1968 8Drabek 1968 33 A police car first arrived on the scene at 11:15 p.m., and additional cars were dispatched to the scene shortly thereafter.Drabek 1968 8 This initial police car radioed that an estimated 10 to 15 people had died.Drabek 1968 32 Around this time, additional crisis organizations in the area, such as The Salvation Army and the American Red Cross,Drabek 1968 9 were alerted to the situation and began to mobilize,Drabek 1968 7 sending some of their personnel to the coliseum to assist.Drabek 1968 9 Within nine minutes of the explosion, a photographer for local television station WFBM-TV was at the scene, and news of the event would be broadcast on the late-night news.Hartz 2018 The Indianapolis Star had over 40 employees work to have the story quickly added to the next morning's paper before the press deadline of 1:30 a.m.MacGregor 2003 220–221 thumb|Partial view of the fairgrounds, seen here during the 2006 Indiana State Fair. The coliseum is visible in the left background. At 11:23 p.m., a police car at the scene radioed a request for cranes and tow trucks to be sent to the arena.Drabek 1968 35 While the dispatcher notified them that all available tow trucks would be sent to the site,Drabek 1968 11 no further mention was made of sending cranes,Drabek 1968 35 and as much of the rubble in the arena needed to be lifted and not dragged, the trucks saw only minimal use.Drabek 1968 17 Around this same time, the first fire engine, which had been stationed near the entrance to the fairgrounds,Drabek 1968 58 arrived and began to put out the fire, with a firefighter on board giving an estimate that between 50 and 100 people had been injured.Drabek 1968 8 IFD dispatchers radioed the Indianapolis Fire Chief Arnold W. PhillipsCampbell 2013 and called for an additional engine and rescue squad to go to the coliseum.Drabek 1968 8–9 The fire chief ordered that heavy equipment be brought in to help free some of the injured spectators from the rubble, as the firefighters' electric hacksaws had proved ineffective.Drabek 1968 9 Because the fairgrounds were state property, local police notified the Indiana State Police,Drabek 1968 9 who had been mobilized by Indiana Governor Matthew E. Welsh.MacGregor 2003 127 The state police immediately sent three officers to the site.Drabek 1968 9 While initial estimates from the state police put the death toll at 12 to 15, that number continued to rise and more state police troopers were called in through the night.Drabek 1968 14 The District Chief from the Office of Civil Defense's 5th District also arrived on the scene shortly after being notified by the IFD and requested both additional manpower and that all hospitals in the area be contacted and informed of the situation.Drabek 1968 9 In total, about 250 volunteers participated in the direct emergency response.Drabek 1968 32 Meanwhile, Civil Defense officials began sending their own emergency equipment, primarily focusing on tools that could remove the debris.Drabek 1968 11 Around 11:35 p.m., they contacted the police department of nearby Speedway, Indiana, and requested that they borrow a mobile crane from a local heavy equipment company. Speedway police responded shortly afterwards that the mobile crane was on its way via police escort,Drabek 1968 14 and it arrived at around 12:50 a.m.Drabek 1968 17 As the response efforts increased, traffic quickly became a problem as more vehicles arrived to bring emergency equipment,Drabek 1968 11–12 with ambulances being hindered in their ability to remove injured people from the site.Drabek 1968 11 As a result, Civil Defense officials began directing ambulances to enter the fairgrounds on the north side and exit to the west.Drabek 1968 13 As more injured people were removed from the coliseum, the west field of the fairgrounds became a makeshift triage center.Drabek 1968 13 Civil Defense officials began directing some ambulances to take their injured to a nearby military base to avoid possibly overcrowding local hospitals.Drabek 1968 13–14 U.S. Army ambulances from this facility were also deployed.Drabek 1968 15 By 11:30 p.m., only 10 injured people remained in the arena.MacGregor 2003 220 The Marion County Coroner arrived at the scene at 11:45 p.m. and was one of the first physicians present.Drabek 1968 15 Due to the large number of victims, the coroner established a temporary morgue on a sectioned-off part of the ice.Drabek 1968 17Campbell 2013 About five minutes after the coroner arrived, the Indianapolis chief of police arrived and set about establishing a command post in a building near the fairgrounds.Drabek 1968 16 This post was in place by midnight and was led by five individuals: the Marion County sheriff, the police chief, the county coroner, the director of civil defense, and a representative from the state police.Drabek 1968 16 By midnight, almost all of the injured people who were not trapped under rubble had been taken outside of the coliseum.Drabek 1968 17 Shortly after midnight, the superintendent of the Indiana State Police,Drabek 1968 17 as well as the Salvation Army's canteen truck and nurses from the American Red Cross Motor Corps, arrived at the fairgrounds.Drabek 1968 19 As cleanup efforts continued into the early morning of November 1, five liquefied petroleum gas (LP gas) tanksnote Also referred to in sources as propaneMcClure 2013WLS-TV 2011 or butaneMarion County Sheriff's Department 2002 39Rader 2016 tanks. were discovered in the wreckage and were moved to the Fire Headquarters for inspection.Drabek 1968 17 By 1 a.m., all wounded individuals had been removed from the site and were being treated in hospitals around the area.MacGregor 2003 220 At 1:47 a.m., the police chief, attempting to reduce traffic congestion around the arena, barred any additional vehicles from entering the fairgrounds.Drabek 1968 19 About 15 minutes later, at 2 a.m., the police chief called a meeting of the command post to outline the process for body identification.Drabek 1968 20 At the time, only 21 bodies had been identified from the wreckage, and the police had a team of four ministers and priests to contact the deceased's next of kin.Drabek 1968 20 Around the same time, it was decided that the command of the situation would be gradually handed over from the chief of police to the Indiana State Police, as the fairgrounds were state property.Drabek 1968 20–21 At about 3 a.m., some relatives of those thought to be dead from the explosion began to arrive to identify their bodies,Drabek 1968 26–27 and half an hour later, a press conference was held wherein the command post gave updates about the state of the response and answered some questions regarding the cause of the incident.Drabek 1968 27 At 6:30 a.m., the IPD handed over control of the site to the State Police and, save for those who were assisting the coroner, most IPD officers left the site.Drabek 1968 27 At this point, most of the emergency tasks at the site had been completed.Drabek 1968 31 By 3 p.m., all but two of the deceased had been identified,Drabek 1968 27 and shortly thereafter, the coroner ordered that the remaining two be moved to a nearby hospital and that the coliseum be closed.Drabek 1968 29 By 4 p.m., the coliseum was almost entirely vacated,Drabek 1968 7 except for State Police officers who were stationed at the entrances.Drabek 1968 29 Aftermath Severity of the disaster The explosion was one of the worst disasters in both Indianapolis and Indiana history.Drabek 1996 43 "the worst disaster in the state's history" Drabek 2002 129 "the worst disaster in the history of the state" Campbell 2013 "By the morning after, the newspaper reported this was the worst disaster in city and very possibly state history" Campbell 2013 "Indianapolis' greatest tragedy" Hartz 2018 "One of Indianapolis’ worst tragedies" West 1994 458 "One of the worst disasters in Indianapolis history" MacGregor 2003 124 "To this day, 40 years later, the Coliseum explosion remains one of Indiana's worst tragedies and perhaps the blackest night Indianapolis has ever seen" Cavinder 1985 2 "The worst indoor explosion in Indiana" Ksander 2006 "one of the state's deadliest disasters" Approximately 54 people died in the initial explosion, and others later succumbed to their injuries, raising the number of fatalities to approximately 81.note Sources vary on the number of casualties from this disaster.Drabek 1968 1 Most sources that give an initial death toll give a number of 54,Drabek 1968 1MacGregor 2003 127United States House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery 2014 59 though other sources give the number as 65Marion County Sheriff's Department 2002 39Campbell 2013MacGregor 2003 221 and as high as 73.Cavinder 1985 2 Many sources gave only the total number of fatalities, which again differed considerably. Early reports published in The New York Times gave a number of 62,The New York Times 1963 which later rose to 72.United Press International 1963 Most sources state that either 70,Marion County Sheriff's Department 2002 39 74,Associated Press 2011Brannigan 1992 352United States House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery 2014 59 or 81Drabek 1968 1Campbell 2013Sanders 2021 people died as a result of the explosion. The numbers given in the text are taken from a 1968 case study on the disaster published by the Disaster Research Center.Drabek 1968 1 Among the dead was a former mayor of nearby Lafayette, Indiana.MacGregor 2003 127 The 1963 coliseum explosion became the deadliest in Indianapolis's history, surpassing an 1869 boiler explosion that had killed 30 people.Mitchell 2016 Coincidentally, this previous explosion had also occurred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.Mitchell 2016Drabek 1968 1 According to a 1968 case study, the explosion was also "the highest single death toll ever to occur in an Indiana disaster".Drabek 1968 1 In addition to the fatalities, approximately 400 people were injured.note While most sources give an approximate number of around 400,Sanders 2021United States House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery 2014 59WLS-TV 2011 a 1964 newsletter published by the United States Navy gave an exact number of 385.United States Navy Medical News Letter 1964 18 Another source states that 374 people were taken to hospitals from the coliseum.Auf der Heide 2007 104 However, on the other end, Thomas E. Drabek (a researcher for the Disaster Research Center who investigated the explosion) states that there were more than 400 injured people.Drabek 1996 43Drabek 2002 129 A later statement from the Marion County Sheriff's Department projected that had the performance begun on time, there would not have been as many casualties.Marion County Sheriff's Department 2002 39 It took until October 30, 1964, for the last person who had been injured in the explosion to be released from the hospital.Campbell 2013Drabek 1968 121 A memorial service was held the following day for the victims of the explosion on the event's one-year anniversary.Campbell 2013 Cause of the explosion The investigation into the cause of the explosion began shortly after the injured people were removed from the coliseum and was headed by Indiana Fire Marshal Ira J. Anderson,Campbell 2013 the Indianapolis Fire Prevention Chief, and the State Police.Drabek 1968 27–28 The cause of the explosion was identified as the five LP gas tanks, each with a capacity of 100 lb kg of propane,Hartz 2018 that had been recovered and moved to the Fire Headquarters.Drabek 1968 28 This was confirmed in a technical report issued by engineers from Purdue University on December 4, 1963, that said that LP gas that had leaked from the tanks was the most probable cause of the explosion.Drabek 1968 117 These tanks had been stored in an unventilatedMacGregor 2003 124 concessions area storeroom,Marion County Sheriff's Department 2002 39 which was located directly beneath the southeastern section of bleachers.Campbell 2013Rader 2016 The culprit tank had rusted,Mitchell 2019WLS-TV 2011 and it had a faulty valve from which LP gas had leaked.MacGregor 2003 124 At some point while it was leaking, this tank had fallen over.MacGregor 2003 124 The gas collected inside the unventilated storeroom, and it eventually roused the suspicion of a manager who opened the door to the room to discover a thick mist of gas in the air.Campbell 2013 The manager notified several employees in the area and began evacuating them, though one employee entered the room to attempt to stop the leak.Campbell 2013 Ultimately, this gas came into contact with a heating element on an electric popcorn warming machine and ignited, causing the initial blast.Ksander 2006Nye 1999 11Sanders 2021 The second explosion that happened a few minutes later was caused by the remaining propane tanks that had not erupted in the first blast.West 1994 458 Investigation and legal issues Following the explosion, a grand jury was convened by Marion County Prosecutor Noble R. Pearcy, and they took fivenote One source states that it took the grand jury six weeks to announce their findings.MacGregor 2003 222 weeks to announce their findings.Drabek 1968 113 In total, eight state and local agencies were involved in the investigation,MacGregor 2003 222 during which time the jurors heard testimony from 32 people involved in the incident.Campbell 2013Drabek 1968 117 Overall, jurors noted a constant blame shifting from those interviewed, with many trying to clear themselves or their organizations of responsibility for the incident.Campbell 2013 Over the course of the inquiry, the sports promoter who operated the coliseum stated that, while he did not have permits to legally store the LP gas tanks inside the building, they had been in use for about ten years, during which time he was never made aware of the need for a permit.Drabek 1968 113 Additionally, while it was customary to have firefighters inspect venues before large public gatherings (as they had done prior to the 1961 Holiday on Ice show at the coliseum), the promoter had not reached out to the fire department prior to the 1963 show.Drabek 1968 114 It was revealed that, despite hosting several large gatherings throughout the year, the coliseum was inspected by firefighters only once per year, during the annual state fair.Drabek 1968 114 News reports showed that the fire department was aware of the LP gas tanks being used at the coliseum during this time, as they had been called to the venue several times in 1959 to investigate reports of a gas leak but had taken no precautions to stop the venue operator's practices.Drabek 1968 114–115 The state fire marshal and city fire chief argued that they had been hindered in their inspection and fire safety abilities due to a shortage of manpower, issues with legislation concerning fire safety and prevention, and a reduction in their budgets.Drabek 1968 114–117 On December 9, 1963, the grand jury released its findings.Drabek 1968 117 They determined that the tanks, which lacked recommended safety caps,Campbell 2013 should not have been used indoors and should not have been stored in the arena.Sanders 2021Campbell 2013 They also concluded that the explosion might have been prevented if an investigation by authorities had been conducted prior to the show.Sanders 2021 In total, the grand jury indicted seven people.Cavinder 1985 2–3United Press International 1963 Involuntary manslaughter charges were pressed against three individuals from the company that had supplied the LP gas tanks, the Discount Gas Corporation, and two employees of the arena's operators, the Indiana Coliseum Corporation (the general manager and the concessions manager),Mitchell 2019 while misdemeanor charges were pressed against Fire Marshal Anderson and Fire Chief Phillips,Campbell 2013 the latter of whom was indicted for failure to inspect the coliseum.MacGregor 2003 222Drabek 1968 119 The grand jury placed much of the fault for the explosion on the LP gas supplier, stating that, instead of warning their customers of the dangers of an improperly installed LP gas tank, the company was "impelled by the profit from the sale ... without any regard for the safety of persons".Drabek 1968 117 The grand jury also criticized the Indiana Coliseum Corporation for its "steady build-up of indifference and carelessness in the unlawful handling and use" of the gas.Drabek 1968 118 Despite the indictments, no one served any jail time for the disaster.MacGregor 2003 222 Phillips's charges were overturned when it was determined that he could not be held liable for state-owned property.MacGregor 2003 222 Additionally, despite evidence that showed that the coliseum operators had been warned about gas problems in the past, the others that had been indicted had their charges dropped because they were found not to have had a direct role in the explosion.MacGregor 2003 222 In the end, only one person, Discount Gas Corporation's President Edward J. Franger,MacGregor 2003 222 was found guilty by a jury, in this case of the lesser charge of assault and battery.Campbell 2013 However, this conviction was later overturned by the Indiana Supreme Court.Mitchell 2019MacGregor 2003 222West 1994 458 Survivors of the explosion and the families of those killed were awarded approximately $4.6 million in settlements.Ksander 2006MacGregor 2003 222 Of this, approximately $1.1 million had been paid out by the LP gas provider's insurance firm to 379 of the victims, while the company paid an additional $3.5 million in an out of court settlement.West 1994 459 In total, more than 413 lawsuits had been filed against insurance companies and the state of Indiana for damages from the explosion, with the cumulative amounts totaling $70 million.West 1994 459 The explosion was analyzed in-depth by the Disaster Research Center (DRC), a group formed in 1963 at the Ohio State University to investigate and study large-scale disasters.Drabek 1996 43Kano Wood Siegel Bourque 2010 4 In total, the DRC conducted three visits to the location, including one the day after the explosion had occurred.Drabek 1968 viii The explosion was one of the first studied by the group,Kano Wood Siegel Bourque 2010 4 and in 1968,Drabek 1968 x the group published its first ever case study on the disaster.Ksander 2006 Coliseum thumb|The coliseum in 2014 Following the explosion, the coliseum remained closed for 41 days while inspections were made that showed that the building was structurally sound.Drabek 1968 112 While there had been some concerns regarding the reopening of the coliseum,Drabek 1968 111–112 and while permanent repairs would not be completed until several months later, the Indiana State Fair Board wanted to have the venue hosting public events as soon as possible, so in early December they gave the contracted operator of the venue a vote of confidence to operate until May 1, 1964.Drabek 1968 112 On December 12, about six weeks after the accident, the coliseum hosted its first post-accident event, a two-day Polled Hereford cattle show.Drabek 1968 112Campbell 2013 In September 1964, the coliseum served as a venue for The Beatles during their 1964 North American tour.Campbell 2013 This show was the first time since the accident that the coliseum was at full crowd capacity.Drabek 1968 113 On November 9, 1964,Drabek 1968 113 Holiday on Ice returned to the coliseum and performed before a crowd of about 5,000, exceeding the crowd that had been there the previous year.Campbell 2013 Following the explosion, the Indianapolis Capitals of the Central Professional Hockey League, which played their home games in the coliseum, terminated their lease and relocated to Cincinnati, where they became the Cincinnati Wings.Brockman 1994 694 The team had begun playing earlier in October and had only played eight games in the coliseum before the incident.Brockman 1994 694 In 1991, the naming rights for the arena were sold and it was renamed the Pepsi Coliseum.Ksander 2006Mitchell 2019 This sponsorship ended in 2012, and the arena became known as the Indiana Farmers Coliseum.Mitchell 2019 On November 14, 2002,Rader 2016 a memorial plaque was installed at the coliseum that bears the names of those who died in the disaster.Campbell 2013 The dedication ceremony was attended by about 100 people.MacGregor 2003 127 Another memorial was held at the coliseum in 2013 on the fiftieth anniversary of the disaster.McClure 2013 In 2014, the arena underwent a $63 million renovation.Mitchell 2019 However, the arena looks much like it did prior to the accident.MacGregor 2003 222 In November 2024, the Indiana State Fairgrounds Commission and Indianapolis-based Corteva Agriscience entered into an agreement to rename the arena as Corteva Coliseum.Fowler Ashley 2024-11-13 Indiana State Fairgrounds announces new name for Coliseum https://www.wishtv.com/news/local-news/indiana-state-fairgrounds-corteva-coliseum/ 2025-02-05 WISH-TV See also List of gas explosions Indiana State Fair stage collapse List of disasters in the United States by death toll List of explosions Notes note References Sources 30em yes August 14, 2011 Wind Causes Fatal Accident at Indiana State Fair WILL-TV Associated Press https://will.illinois.edu/news/story/wind-causes-fatal-accident-at-indiana-state-fair https://web.archive.org/web/20211217040605/https://will.illinois.edu/news/story/wind-causes-fatal-accident-at-indiana-state-fair December 17, 2021 December 17, 2021 Associated Press 2011 Auf der Heide Erik https://books.google.com/books?id=hgLccSb8DIUC Disaster Medicine Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 2007 978-0-7817-6262-5 Hogan David E. Second Philadelphia 95–126 Principles of Hospital Disaster Planning Burstein Jonathan L. Brannigan Francis L. https://books.google.com/books?id=FVFZlqDdM4sC Building Construction for the Fire Service Jones and Bartlett Publishers 1992 978-0-7637-4885-2 Third Sudbury, Massachusetts Francis Brannigan Brockman Paul https://books.google.com/books?id=bg13QcMSsq8C The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis Indiana University Press With the assistance of David G. Vanderstel 1994 978-0-253-11249-1 Bodenhamer David J. Bloomington, Indiana 694–695 Hockey Barrows Robert G. Campbell Alex October 27, 2013 Surviving Indianapolis' greatest tragedy, 1963 Coliseum explosion https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/indiana/2013/10/27/surviving-indianapolis-greatest-tragedy-1963-coliseum-explosion/3254947/ December 17, 2021 With contributions from Cathy Knapp The Courier-Journal Gannett Cavinder Fred D. https://books.google.com/books?id=Vp7jJrocxcYC The Indiana Book of Records, Firsts, and Fascinating Facts Indiana University Press 1985 978-0-253-28320-7 Bloomington, Indiana Drabek Thomas E. http://archive.org/details/disasterinaisle10000drab Disaster in Aisle 13: A Case Study of the Coliseum Explosion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, October 31, 1963 College of Administrative Science, The Ohio State University 1968 Disaster Research Center Series Columbus, Ohio Note that the author disguised the names of the entities (hospitals, companies, etc.) involved in the incident. Drabek Thomas E. https://books.google.com/books?id=Fhbj5fgxPTEC What Disaster Response Management Can Learn from Chaos Theory June 1996 California Research Bureau 978-0-7881-4499-8 Koehler Gus A. Sacramento, California 42–60 Disaster in Aisle 13 Revisited Drabek Thomas E. https://books.google.com/books?id=nAmuFhH7izgC Methods of Disaster Research International Research Committee on Disasters 2002 978-1-4691-2107-9 Stallings Robert A. 127–153 Following Some Dreams: Recognizing opportunities, posing interesting questions, and implementing alternative methods Dynes Russell R. https://books.google.com/books?id=IeT48KFQkVMC Organized Behavior in Disaster Heath Lexington Books 1970 Quarantelli E. L. Disaster Research Center Series Lexington, Massachusetts Dynes Russell R. Greenberg Michael I. https://books.google.com/books?id=EZAdQAuPyKAC Disaster!: A Compendium of Terrorist, Natural, and Man-Made Catastrophes Jones and Bartlett Publishers 2006a 978-0-7637-3989-8 Sudbury, Massachusetts Greenberg Michael I. https://books.google.com/books?id=bSCIExNdjDsC Encyclopedia of Terrorist, Natural, and Man-made Disasters Jones and Bartlett Publishers 2006b 978-0-7637-3782-5 Sudbury, Massachusetts Hartz Michael October 25, 2018 Halloween 1963: Dozens killed in explosion at Indianapolis Coliseum https://www.wrtv.com/lifestyle/history/1963-dozens-killed-in-explosion-at-indianapolis-coliseum live https://web.archive.org/web/20210418144022/https://www.wrtv.com/lifestyle/history/1963-dozens-killed-in-explosion-at-indianapolis-coliseum April 18, 2021 December 17, 2021 WRTV Kano Megumi https://books.google.com/books?id=fEkgAwAAQBAJ Koenig and Schultz's Disaster Medicine: Comprehensive Principles and Practices Wood Michele M. Siegel Judith M. Bourque Linda B. Cambridge University Press 2010 978-0-521-87367-3 Koenig Kristi L. Cambridge 3–20 Disaster Research and Epidemiology Schultz Carl H. Ksander Yaël September 11, 2006 1963 Coliseum Explosion https://indianapublicmedia.org/momentofindianahistory/1963-coliseum-explosion/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20190514064634/https://indianapublicmedia.org/momentofindianahistory/1963-coliseum-explosion/ May 14, 2019 December 17, 2021 WFIU MacGregor Scott October 2003 The Blackest Night https://books.google.com/books?id=0OkCAAAAMBAJ Indianapolis Monthly Emmis Communications 27 2 0899-0328 8348365 122–127, 220–222 https://books.google.com/books?id=r4V7tfTqlCAC Marion County Sheriff's Department: 180 Years of Tradition, 1822–2002 Turner Publishing Company Marion County Sheriff's Department 2002 1-56311-760-6 Paducah, Kentucky McClure Vanessa October 31, 2013 Survivor of deadly coliseum explosion speaks out on 50th anniversary https://fox59.com/news/50th-anniversary-of-deadly-pepsi-coliseum-explosion/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20211217030001/https://fox59.com/news/50th-anniversary-of-deadly-pepsi-coliseum-explosion/ December 17, 2021 December 17, 2021 WXIN Mitchell Dawn October 2, 2016 Retro Indy: The 1869 Sinker-Davis boiler calamity https://www.indystar.com/story/news/history/retroindy/2016/10/02/retro-indy-1869-sinker-davis-boiler-calamity/90707492/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20210509084840/https://www.indystar.com/story/news/history/retroindy/2016/10/02/retro-indy-1869-sinker-davis-boiler-calamity/90707492/ May 9, 2021 December 17, 2021 The Indianapolis Star Gannett Mitchell Dawn October 31, 2019 January 15, 2014 Retro Indy: The deadly 1963 Coliseum explosion on Halloween night https://www.indystar.com/story/news/history/retroindy/2014/01/15/coliseum-explosion/4495037/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20210317223922/https://eu.indystar.com/story/news/history/retroindy/2014/01/15/coliseum-explosion/4495037/ March 17, 2021 December 17, 2021 The Indianapolis Star Gannett Nye Charlie https://books.google.com/books?id=6sUjeHBeP2EC Hoosier Century: 100 Years of Photographs from The Indianapolis Star and The Indianapolis News Sports Publishing The Indianapolis Star 1999 978-1-58261-237-9 Nye Charlie Young Joe Rader Kevin August 26, 2016 November 14, 2002 Dedication recalls Coliseum explosion https://www.wthr.com/article/news/dedication-recalls-coliseum-explosion/531-b45846d5-df27-4551-a7d3-c0d0a9395061 December 17, 2021 WTHR Sanders Samantha March 30, 2021 The Deadly 1963 Indiana Ice Show Explosion https://www.grunge.com/369659/the-deadly-1963-indiana-ice-show-explosion/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20211217025715/https://www.grunge.com/369659/the-deadly-1963-indiana-ice-show-explosion/ December 17, 2021 December 17, 2021 Grunge.com Static Media November 1, 1963 62 Dead and Hundreds Hurt in Blast at Indiana Ice Show The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1963/11/01/archives/62-dead-and-hundreds-hurt-in-blast-at-indiana-ice-show-62-in.html December 17, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211217032109/https://www.nytimes.com/1963/11/01/archives/62-dead-and-hundreds-hurt-in-blast-at-indiana-ice-show-62-in.html December 17, 2021 0362-4331 The New York Times 1963 December 10, 1963 Indiana Indicts 7 in Ice Show Blast The New York Times United Press International https://www.nytimes.com/1963/12/10/archives/indiana-indicts-7-in-ice-show-blast-state-fire-marshal-and-chief-in.html December 17, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211217032942/https://www.nytimes.com/1963/12/10/archives/indiana-indicts-7-in-ice-show-blast-state-fire-marshal-and-chief-in.html December 17, 2021 0362-4331 United Press International 1963 https://books.google.com/books?id=ShEAco83gLQC Assessing Central Indiana's Preparedness for a Mass Casualty Event U.S. Government Printing Office United States House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery 2014 Washington, D.C. August 6, 2013 January 10, 1964 How Indianapolis Hospitals Met the Blast Emergency https://books.google.com/books?id=Gi5b5ANaxkoC United States Navy Medical News Letter United States Navy Medical Department 43 1 18 United States Navy Medical News Letter 1964 West Vickie J. https://books.google.com/books?id=bg13QcMSsq8C The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis Indiana University Press With the assistance of David G. Vanderstel 1994 978-0-253-11249-1 Bodenhamer David J. Bloomington, Indiana 458–459 Coliseum Explosion Barrows Robert G. August 14, 2011 74 killed in explosion at Indiana State Fair in 1963 https://abc7chicago.com/archive/8306294/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20200919195239/https://abc7chicago.com/archive/8306294/ September 19, 2020 December 17, 2021 WLS-TV WLS-TV 2011 April 5, 2016 Road to 100: 1963 https://www.wrtv.com/sports/indycar/road-to-100/road-to-100-1963 live https://web.archive.org/web/20210726231228/https://www.wrtv.com/sports/indycar/road-to-100/road-to-100-1963 July 26, 2021 December 17, 2021 WRTV WRTV 2016 Further reading Drabek Thomas E. https://books.google.com/books?id=c6x-DwAAQBAJ The Human Side of Disaster CRC Press 2010 978-1-315-36045-4 Second Boca Raton, Florida October 31, 2019 January 15, 2014 Retro Indy: 1963 Coliseum explosion in photos https://www.indystar.com/picture-gallery/news/history/retroindy/2014/01/15/retro-indy-1963-coliseum-explosion-in-photos/4495129/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20201130043302/https://www.indystar.com/picture-gallery/news/history/retroindy/2014/01/15/retro-indy-1963-coliseum-explosion-in-photos/4495129/ November 30, 2020 December 17, 2021 The Indianapolis Star Gannett May 6, 2019 70 Years Together: Dick Baldwin recalls state fair coliseum explosion, killed 74 people in 1963 https://www.wrtv.com/news/70-years/70-years-together-dick-baldwin-recalls-state-fair-coliseum-explosion-killed-74-people-in-1963 live December 17, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211217040600/https://www.wrtv.com/news/70-years/70-years-together-dick-baldwin-recalls-state-fair-coliseum-explosion-killed-74-people-in-1963 December 17, 2021 WRTV External links Category:1963 disasters in the United States Category:1963 in Indiana Category:20th century in Indianapolis Category:Explosions in Indiana Category:Disasters in sports venues Category:1963 explosions Category:Gas explosions in the United States Category:Indiana State Fair Category:October 1963 in the United States