PARCO - 1927

Photo: wyohistory.org

On April 6, 1927, a fire and explosion rocked the Producers and Refiners oil refinery in the company town of Parco, Wyoming.

Parco is now known as Sinclair, Wyoming.

Here are the details:

Parco, Wyo., April 6. -- (AP) -- At least seventeen men were killed early today when an explosion occurred in the Producers and Refiners oil refining plant here.

One man was missing shortly before noon and was believed to have died in the blast and subsequent fire which caused damage of $500,000 to the refinery.

Explosion Felt Seven Miles.

The explosion rocked this unique oil town, laid out only a few years ago by FRANK E. KISTLER, head of the Parco organization, on model architectural lines, and the detonation was felt in Rawlins, seven miles West.

The disaster was caused by the explosion of a chamber in a high pressure still which set fire to nine other stills and two storage tanks. The fire still was burning late this morning but was under control.

Bodies Taken From Plant.

Sixteen bodies have been taken from the plant. Fourteen of them were identified.

The identified dead were:
JOHN PAUL PALMER, thirty.
FRANK TAYLOR, thirty.
W. W. DODD, forty-two.
FREDERICK JESEMER, twenty-seven.
F. C. SPEYER, forty-nine.
ALBERT SMITH, twenty-five.
VICTORY NICKERSON, thirty-five.
CLARENCE POSEY, twenty-seven.
VICTORIANO MONTOYA, thirty-seven.
ORCELO MARTINEZ, thirty-six.
E. R. WELSH, thirty-two.
G. G. TURPIN, twenty-six.
R. N. SHERMAN, missing.
H. O. EBY, missing.

Victims All Leave Families.

GEORGE EVANS CURRY and ARTHUR AYALA were believed to be fatally burned. They are in a Rawlins hospital, as are P. L. WELSH, CALVIN SMITH, GEORGE BYRON POLK, who were severely burned and SMITH died late this afternoon.

All of the men who were killed were married and most of them had to three children.

[Reno Evening Gazette,  April 6, 1927]