Bill > HR531

This resolution commemorates the 88th anniversary of the New London School Explosion, a devastating tragedy that occurred on March 18, 1937, in New London, Texas, where a natural gas leak led to a massive explosion that killed nearly 300 students and teachers, making it the worst school disaster in U.S. history. The resolution highlights the historical context of the incident, noting that the school was located in a prosperous oil field community and that the explosion was caused by a spark from a sanding machine igniting a basement filled with an explosive mix of natural gas and air. The aftermath involved a massive community rescue effort, with local oil workers, the Texas Rangers, and the highway patrol responding to help, and the tragedy drew national media attention, including coverage by a young Walter Cronkite. As a result of this catastrophic event, the Texas Legislature subsequently passed a law requiring a distinctive scent to be added to natural gas to help prevent similar incidents. The resolution honors the memory of those lost, acknowledges the community's heroic response, and extends best wishes to the West Rusk Alumni Association and the New London Museum for their Day of Remembrance and All-School Reunion, while also directing that official copies of the resolution be prepared for these organizations.