Dramatic Rescue at Norwood Laundry and Cleaners After Explosion-August 31, 1965

A massive boiler explosion ripped through the rear of the Norwood Laundry and Cleaners at 884 Washington Street shortly before 8:00 a.m., leveling the back section of the two-story building, injuring three men, and sending 50 employees scrambling to safety. Described by nearby residents as sounding like a sonic boom or a jet breaking the sound barrier, the blast occurred just moments after workers noted a sudden loss of steam pressure in the plant.

Fifty employees, predominantly women, fled the smoke-filled facility unharmed, though several reported hearing the trapped men screaming for help from beneath the wreckage.

Dramatic Rescue From the Rubble

Firefighters arriving at the scene found the entire rear of the building completely reduced to hot brick and cement rubble. Responding swiftly, local firefighters—led by Deputy Fire Chief John Howard, Lieutenant Robert Stanton, and firefighters William Gorman and Robert Coyne—began manually lifting heavy debris.

Working rapidly, rescue crews freed the three trapped men in less than 15 minutes:

• George Nixon Sr. (plant owner, of Pleasant Street, Walpole)
• Winthrop Kemp (of 28 Williams Street, Walpole)
• George Cooper (62, of 22 Short St., Norwood)

Lieutenant Stanton noted that Kemp was the last to be recovered, having been buried up to his shoulders in debris. Family members rushed to the scene to aid in the rescue, including Peter Nixon and James Nixon, who helped dig out their father and uncle before they were transported to Norwood Hospital, where all three victims were listed in fair condition.

Investigation and Property Impact

State fire marshal investigator Lieutenant Alfred J. Falkland confirmed that the boiler had definitively exploded, though a precise damage estimate and cause remained under intense investigation. Employees reported that moments before the blast, press operator Paul Grecho had alerted Peter Nixon to a lack of steam pressure, immediately preceding a sharp blue flash of light and the thunderous detonation.

The concussive force also blew out a large plate glass storefront window, sending glass splinters crashing onto the sidewalk. While portions of stored laundry and garments near the blast zone were soggy and dust-covered, employee Paul Grecho noted that a separate cold storage room containing over a million dollars’ worth of valuable furs and winter coats remained entirely undamaged.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger