Army Private First Class

Company B 701st Tank Destroyer Battalion

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Lorain Journal Tuesday, December 2, 1947;

Two Men Killed In Blast Furnace Explosion-Fiery Puff Fatal To Workers

Raymond Vecchi , Bruno Klapkowski, Victims At Plant Here

WORKING IN TUNNEL

Flames Enveloped Pair; Third Man In Group Escapes Injuries

Two Lorain steelworkers were fatally burned last night in an accident in the blast furnace department at the Lorain mills of the National Tube Co. dead are Raymond J. Vecchio, 32 1794 E 33rd St and Bruno Klapkowski, 33, 1337 Long Ave.

Vecchio met instant death and Klapkowski died six hours later in St. Joseph Hospital Lorain. Coroner S.C. Ward said both deaths were due to burns.

Removing Molten Iron

According to Louis F Sattele, assistant general superintendent at National Tube Co, both men were engged in tapping the 'salmander' or removing accumulated scrap molten iron from beneath the company;s No 1 blast furnace where the accident occurred shortly after 8pm.

Sattele said the blast furnace had been shut down yesterday for repairs and that during such an operation the salamander must be tapped.

The men were properly outfitted with asbestos coats legging and other safety equipment, Sattele said, and was in a tunnel at the base of the furnace.

High Flames Leap

-As they started the molten metal thru a runner to drain it, a minor explosion caused the runner, comprised of firebricks and sand to collapse. As the molten metal ran out, high flames resulted.

Klapkowski and Vecchio ran through the flames to escape, Vecchio stumbled, Sattele said he learned from witnesses, while another member of teh tapping party remained where he was instead of running and escaped injury. The third man pulled Vecchio and Klapkowski from the flames.

Klapkowski was employed as first helper at the blast furnace while Vecchio was foreman of the pig machine and ladle house department there. Vecchio, a Lorain resident 29 years, was a member of St, Peters church and the Abruzzessi lodge. He married the former Jane Peets in mid October. Surviving in addition to his wife, are his parents Mr. & Mrs Benjamin Vecchio 1796 E 33rd St, a sister mrs Alfred Porklab, Lorain and a brother Henry Vecchio, Elyria.

The body is at the residence where funeral services at the direction of the Reidy Scanlan Funeral Home will be at 9:30 am Thursday and at 10:00 am St Peter Church with the Rev Fr. Vincent O'Dea Pastor officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery.

VETERAN OF WWII

Klpkowski, army veteran of World War II, served three years with the First Armored Division in Italy & Africa. Awarded four battle stars, he was discharged from service May 16, 1945.

Born here August 23, 1914, he was a Lorain resident all his life. He was a member of the Polish Legion of the American Veterans Post 38 Lorain and the Polish National Alliance of America.

Klapkowski is survived by his parents, Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Klapkowski, three brothers, John, Edward, and William at home, and four sisters, Mrs. Leo Dembek, Mrs, Casimir Rybarczyak, and Mrs Louis Maticic all of Lorain, and Miss Estella Klapkowski at home.

The body has been removed from the Bittmer funeral home at Elyria to the residence where military serviced conducted by Polish Legion of American Veterans Post 38 will be at 8:30 am Thursday and at 9am at St Stanislaus church with Rev Fr Leo Rygwalski pastor officiating, Burial in Calvary Cemetery.