Casper, Wyoming – A routine Sunday drive in 1921 took a tragic turn when a 30-year-old Casper man, Nelson A. Glass, was transporting highly explosive nitroglycerine in a white truck owned by the Independent Torpedo Co. The journey from Casper to a Thermopolis storage warehouse proved to be disastrous as the truck exploded near Bonneville, Wyoming, 3 miles northeast of Shoshoni.
The use of nitroglycerin in the early days of oil field exploration was crucial for stimulating well production. The sensitive and dangerous liquid had to be transported with extreme caution due to its potential of exploding even with the slightest disturbance. Independent Torpedo Co. took precautions by packaging the nitroglycerin in heavily padded boxes to minimize the risk of mishaps.
Unfortunately, the safety measures proved ineffective when Glass’s truck hit a pothole or bump in the road, triggering a massive explosion that left a 16-foot deep and 20-foot wide hole. The blast obliterated the truck, scattering pieces of flesh and debris over a wide area. The entire town of Bonneville was shaken as the explosion damaged nearly all of its 75 buildings.
Glass, an experienced U.S. Army veteran, had been transporting the volatile material for the Independent Torpedo Co. for about six months. The investigation into the explosion revealed that Glass had a hitchhiker with him on the fatal journey, identified as a “tramp” who had been previously kicked out of a railroad yard in Casper.
The Independent Torpedo Co. was well-known for working with oil companies in several states to provide nitroglycerine and skilled “shooters” who would use the explosive to stimulate oil well production. Despite the risks involved, the company had a history of successful well stimulation projects, increasing production significantly.
The tragic explosion in Bonneville prompted calls for better regulation and safety measures in transporting nitroglycerine. The incident served as a stark reminder of the dangers associated with such highly explosive materials and the need for stricter protocols to prevent future disasters.
Today, the oil field industry has shifted towards safer methods like pressurized water and fracking techniques to stimulate oil and gas flow. The use of explosives like nitroglycerine, once a common practice, has largely been replaced by more efficient and secure technologies in the industry.