The Allegheny Arsenal Explosion

As a native Pittsburgher, I am embarrassed to admit that I never visited the Allegheny Cemetery; until this past Saturday, June 13th.

What got me drawn to this cemetery in the first place was a casual conversation I had with one of the on-site HVAC engineers at my workplace. He casually mentioned how he discovered the story behind the Allegheny Arsenal explosion. My brief conversation with this young fellow immediately sparked immense curiosity within me; so, I did some quick research and found out the details of this horrifying event.

On the afternoon of Wednesday, September 17, 1862, a catastrophic event unfolded at the arsenal. At approximately 2:00 PM, a massive explosion ripped through the facility. The force of the blast was so immense that it shattered windows across the surrounding community, and the sound was audible even in Pittsburgh, more than two miles (3 kilometers) away.

The immediate aftermath was one of chaos. When the first detonation occurred, Colonel John Symington, the Arsenal Commander, immediately left his quarters and raced up the hillside toward the laboratory area. As he approached, he was met by a terrifying sequence of events: a second explosion followed swiftly by a third. In the desperate scramble to mitigate the disaster, firefighting equipment was deployed, and a bucket brigade worked frantically to douse the raging flames. The volunteer fire company from Pittsburgh quickly arrived on the scene to assist in bringing the inferno under control.

The tragedy, however, was far from contained by the fire fighting means of the time. By the time the blaze was finally extinguished, the laboratory had been reduced to a smoldering pile of rubble. The toll on the workforce was devastating. Seventy-eight workers perished in the incident. Of these victims, fifty-four bodies remained unidentified and were interred in a mass grave at the nearby Allegheny Cemetery.

The human cost of this industrial disaster is profoundly moving. Among those tragically killed were young munitions assemblers mainly consisting of young woman.

Within the quiet grounds of Allegheny Cemetery, a powerful piece of remembrance stands as a testament to this tragic event. Located near the graves of unidentified victims in Section 17, a monument honors the memory of those lost in a devastating explosion.

Dedicated on May 27, 1928, this monument marks a significant moment in the community’s memory. It serves as a vital record, listing the names of all 78 individuals killed in the blast, alongside a dedicated text transcribed directly from the original monument. This site offers a solemn and important connection to a painful chapter of our past, ensuring their memory endures.