Hometown History #6 1953 Chimney Collapse Killed Two

Above, an image of the accident’s aftermath, courtesy of local historian, Joe Landry.

In early December, almost 68 years ago, the normally busy pace of life  at "the crossing" came to a stop when a brick chimney, nearly three stories tall, attached to the Clark Machine Co. (the structure today houses a convenience store), collapsed. The newspaper of the town, The Franklin Sentinel, tells the story:

“One of the worst disasters ever to visit Franklin took place Tuesday morning when two Franklin men were killed when a chimney collapsed at the Clark Foundry Co. plant, corner of Cottage and Union Streets and plunged through the roof of the Crossing Foundry Co., 25 feet away, where the two men were working.

"Killed instantly was Edward W. Parker, 26, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clark W. Parker of 400 East Central Street. William A. Hall, 35, of 5 Worsted Street, father of three young children, died at Milford Hospital a short time after admittance.

"Medical Examiner Dr. John R. Cicotti of Milford said that Hall suffered a fractured skull, internal injuries and multiple fractures of the right leg.

"Both men were at work in the snagging room of the Crossing Foundry when, without warning, the 50-foot outside chimney attached to the nearby two-story Clark Machine Co., collapsed and came crashing through the roof of the small building, pinning the two men under tons of brick and debris

"Parker was completely buried under the rubble while only Hall’s head was left protruding from the wreckage. A large steel beam, which was carried down by the impact on an angle, w as believed to have kept Hall from being entirely buried.

"Fellow workers in other parts of the foundry, highway employees, volunteers, and firemen responded to box 35 which was sounded from the nearby corner, worked feverishly to free the victims from the mass of debris.

"Hall was freed first and was immediately rush to Milford Hospital in the town ambulance by Fire Chief Connor J. Pond and Fireman Joseph Pierrie. He was administered the last rites of the Catholic Church by Rev. Rudolph Masciarelli, curate of St. Mary’s Church

Beyond Aid –

"A few moments later, the large group of workers uncovered Parker’s body but he was beyond aid and was pronounced dead by medical examiner Dr. Walter J. Crowley, who had been called to the scene as was Dr. Ernest J. Pastorello.

"Another fellow worker, James Boualini of Milford, narrowly escaped a similar fate. He was working in the same room with the other two men, but at the moment the accident happened he was in a corner of the wooden structure and escaped being crushed by inches. He was badly shaken up by the horrifying experience.

"The falling chimney left a gaping hole in the roof and side of the building in which the two men were trapped. A car owned by Theodore Eckberg, one of the owners of the Crossing Foundry, parked between the buildings, was crushed under the pile.

"Hall’s wife, Mary, who hurried to the scene from her home a short distance away, collapsed after being informed by Dr. Crowley that her husband had been involved in the accident and she was placed under a doctor’s care

"Parker’s father, who arrived at the scene after both victims had been removed, was told of his son’s death by Police Chief Arthur C. Pellegri and was taken to his home in the police cruiser."

Epilogue

Shortly after the disaster, the Sentinel reported that the owner of another large chimney in town, that was in disrepair, hastily removed it. An inquest into the deaths was scheduled for Jan 20, 1954. And that’s where the Sentinel’s coverage of the story ended.