Taken from the Lebanon News paper Oct 26, 1944: Burns fatal to Four Employees
Less than 21 hours after the flare blast and fire Wednesday on the assembly line in a bomb plant of the Kings Powder Company, four employees of the company were dead. Fred Gibson 36, South Lebanon died at the scene of the blaze. Hugh Terry 32, South Lebanon passed at 1:45 p.m. Wednesday, Wise York Bryant 29, South Lebanon passed 3:15 a.m. Thursday, and Albert Palopoll 35, Kings Mills at 1:00a.m. Thursday, all were in Blair Brother Hospital. The three men suffered third degree burns in the blaze and no hope was held for their recovery. Fred Gibson is survived by his widow, Lucy and two children; Hugh Terry is survived by his widow, Laura and five children. Wise York Bryant is survived by his widow Allfrie, and three children, and Albert Palopoli by his widow, Mary and a sister in Chicago. Fred Gibson was taken to Irwin, Kentucky for services. Polopoli was removed to Jackson, Kentucky for rites and Hugh Terry and Wise York Bryant was taken to Athol, Kentucky for services.


2 Killed, 2 near death in Kings Blast
From News Paper October 19, 1944

Fred Gibson and Hugh Terry are victims of fire Little hope held for South Lebanon and Kings Mills Men Bomb Plant Burns.

Two men are dead and two others critically burned following an explosion and fire on an assembly line at a bomb plant of the Kings Powder Company, Kings Mills, Ohio

Burned to death are Fred Gibson 36, of South Lebanon, Ohio who was instantly killed in the blast and fire and Hugh Terry 32, of South Lebanon, Ohio.

Critically wounded are Albert Palopoli 35, Kings Mills, Ohio and Wise York Bryant 29, South Lebanon, Ohio.

The two men critically burned are in Blair Brothers hospital where their condition is reported as grave by Dr. Robert Blair and little hope is held for their recovery. All are receiving blood transfusions.

Dr. Frank Batsche, King Powder physician, who was at the plant shortly after the blast, and Gibson near almost instant death. He was taken to Oswald Funeral Home in Lebanon, Ohio where funeral arrangements are incomplete. His widow Lucy Gibson survives.

Hugh Terry died in Blair Brother Hospital in 1:30 P.M. Tuesday and was taken to the Oswald Funeral Home.

York Bryant was the first man to reach Blair Brothers Hospital after the fire. The flesh and hair all over his body were burned to a crisp and much of the flesh was completely gone from the body. His body was burned to an almost black color.

Palapoli is also suffering from third degree burns and shock with much of the flesh burned from his body.

The injured were removed to the hospital in Oswald and Gallimore Watkins ambulances.

The exact cause of the blast and fire on the assembly line has not been determined but it destroyed a small frame building and threatened another before the flames were brought under control. Signal and fire bombs are said to be assembled in the damaged building.

Several others persons reported to have been working in the building escaped with minor burns and injuries received from fighting the blaze.

This is the first major blast or fire at the King Powder Company since June 27, this year when two persons were killed and eight injured when a flare is reported to have ignited.