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Memorial Monday – Kingman Explosion (AZ)

Memorial Monday

Incident Date: July 5, 1973
Department: Kingman Fire Department (AZ)
Number of Line-of-Duty Deaths: 11

The Kingman Explosion, also known as the Doxol Disaster or the Kingman Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion (BLEVE), occurred on July 5, 1973 in Kingman, Arizona. Just before 2:00 pm, the Kingman Fire Department received a call that a Santa Fe propane car was on fire. Firefighters from the Kingman and Hualapi Fire Departments worked to extinguish the fire when a BLEVE occurred.

Three firefighters were killed instantly, former Fire Chief William F. Casson, Assistant Chief Myron B. “Jimmy” Cox, and Firefighter Roger Hubka. Injured firefighters were flown out included John Campbell, Joe Chambers, Chris Sanders, Art and Huey Stringer, and Lee Williams. Other firefighters were transported to the burn center including Scott McCoy, Frank “Butch” Henry, and Don Webb of the Kingman Fire Department, and Steven Mitchell of the Hualapi Fire Department. Eleven in all would make the ultimate sacrifice.

Eighty others were taken to the area hospital after the blast and command was set up at the Public Safety Headquarters on Highway 66. Firefighters from Lake Havasu City, Mohave Valley, Bullhead City Fire Districts also responded to help contain the fire.

The fire scattered embers along Highway 66 which ignited brush, homes, and a construction business. Eventually, the fire would consume the Doxol Gas Distributing plant and the Double G Tire and Service Center. Residents were evacuated within a four to six block radius around the blast and gas and power was turned off in the area.

Killed in the Explosion:

John Campbell

William Casson

Joseph Chambers III

 

Myron B. Cox

Alan Hansen

Frank Henry

 

Roger Hubka

Christopher Sanders

Arthur Stringer

 

Donald Webb

Richard Williams

 

 

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More About Memorial Monday

Memorial Monday is established to remember the sacrifice of firefighters who died in the line of duty before the National Memorial was created in 1981. On the last Monday of every month, a firefighter, or groups of firefighters, will be remembered through information located about the firefighter and their sacrifice.