On March 18, 1937, a natural gas leak at New London High School in Rusk County, Texas, caused a catastrophic explosion just minutes before the school day ended. The blast, fueled by odorless casing-head gas, was heard four miles away, killing nearly 300 students and teachers and injuring hundreds more.
The tragedy led to the mandatory addition of odorants to natural gas, a safety measure still in use today. At the time, East Texas was in the midst of an oil boom, producing over 400,000 barrels per day, and the disaster highlighted the hidden dangers of rapidly expanding energy infrastructure.
