It was fifty years ago today that the Roger Blough, U. S. Steel’s super ore carrier being built at the American Ship Building Co. in Lorain, caught fire.
As noted in one Journal report, “Temperatures inside the hull reached 2,500 degrees at times while the fire, confined to the ship’s stern, was being battled by scores of firefighters and shipyard workers from about 10 a.m. Thursday until early Friday afternoon.”
“Tired and nearly exhausted firemen and shipyard workers, many of whom had virtually no sleep since the fire started, were on the job until the bodies of the missing crew were located."
Seven men (including three firemen) went to St. Joseph Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. Four shipyard workers lost their lives in the blaze: Clyde Purdue of Vermilion; John Alexander of Lorain; George Adams of Lorain; and Leonard Moore of Elyria.
Here are some of the pages of the Journal covering the tragic fire.
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| June 24, 1971 |
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| June 24, 1971 |
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| June 25, 1971 |
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| June 25, 1971 |
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| June 27, 1971 |
