New monument will honor 41 killed in 1968 Richmond blasts

RICHMOND, Ind. (AP) - A new monument listing the names of 41 people killed by natural gas explosions in an eastern Indiana city will be unveiled on the 50th anniversary of those blasts.

Organizers are planning several events to mark the explosions in downtown Richmond, with a moment of silence on April 6 at 1:47 p.m., when the 1968 explosions started in a sporting goods store's basement.

The (Richmond) Palladium-Item reports the names of the 41 victims will be read aloud during the monument dedication at a downtown plaza.

The explosions also destroyed 15 buildings and injured more than 120 people.

Wayne County Historical Museum director Jim Harlan says those killed have never been recognized in public memorials. A monument marking the tragedy already sits near the blast site, but doesn't list the victims.

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Information from: Palladium-Item, http://www.pal-item.com