The following is only a sample of natural gas and petroleum product accidents for this era. Gas and oil leaks and explosions were not tracked in an organized fashion except by fire marshals. Many leaks, fires, and explosions were not recorded unless they occurred in population centers with newspapers to report them.Many early twentieth-century newspapers have been digitized and are searchable online. The U.S. Library of Congress provides access to 2,493 newspapers at https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/newspapers/. Some states have digitized their newspapers; see Colorado Historic Newspapers at https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org and Utah Digital Newspapers at https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/. Many public libraries also provide online access to the early New York Times, Boston Globe and other newspapers, or databases such as ProQuest.
Later in the twentieth century, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), a U.S. Department of Transportation agency, would be established to develop and enforce regulations for the safe and environmentally sound operation of the United States' pipelines, and to collect data on pipeline leaks, accidents, and explosions.Data sets of PHMSA Pipeline Safety-Flagged Incidents for 1986-2001, 2002-2009, and 2010-2017 can be downloaded from the tab by that name on the PHMSA Pipeline Incident Flagged Files page, https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/data-and-statistics/pipeline/pipeline-incident-flagged-files, accessed 2018.01.10.
1900s 1900 December 20 – In Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, two children were fatally burned and five injured in a gas explosion and fires that destroyed three houses. The explosions were caused by the breaking of a valve gate on the Fort Pitt Gas Line, which allowed leaking gas to seep into the houses' cellars, following water pipes from the street."Seven Persons Injured," Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 20 Dec 1900, p. 11, https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/50364775/?terms=gas%2Bexplosion.
1901 May – Three teachers and a plumber were injured by a gas explosion at Saint Michael's Roman Catholic Church parish school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania."Latest News Notes," The Star (Reynoldsville, Pa.), 15 May 1901, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress, <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87078321/1901-05-15/ed-1/seq-6/>, accessed 2018.01.19. October – In Boston, Massachusetts, five women narrowly escaped being burned alive after a leaking gas meter exploded in the basement of their three-story tenement, starting a fire that ascended through the stairwells and drove them out the upper windows where they clung to the ledges until firefighters rescued them with extension ladders."Saved from Fire: Five Women Have Narrow Escape," Boston Globe, 18 Oct 1901: 1, ProQuest, accessed 2018.01.19.
1902 February 21 – In Rochester, New York, an explosion destroyed a building at the works of the Rochester Gas and Electric Company. The loss was estimated at $20,000."Gas Explosion at Rochester, New York," Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), 21 Feb 1902, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress, <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1902-02-21/ed-1/seq-2/>
1903 May – An oil well driller in eastern Ohio struck gas which ignited and exploded after escaping from the well. The derrick burned, and three men and an eight-year-old boy were seriously injured by the explosion."Gas Explosion," Sistersville Daily Oil Review (Sistersville, W. Va.), 27 May 1903, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress, <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86092356/1903-05-27/ed-1/seq-3/>
1904 January – In Marion, Indiana, three were killed, four fatally injured and eight dangerously injured when a hotel burned after a gas leak exploded, probably due to increased pressure in the mains. The loss was estimated at $50,000."Hotel Blown Up and Three Killed," Warren Sheaf (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.), 28 Jan 1904, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress, <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn90059228/1904-01-28/ed-1/seq-7/>. December 1 – In Winchester, Massachusetts, a lighted match dropped into a sewer manhole by an employee of the Arlington gaslight company set off an explosion which injured five gas line repairmen and blew the steel manhole cover 30 feet into the air. The gas ignited along the sewer line into Rangeley, where two more manhole covers were blown into the air. The gas company's official statement was that the gas was ignited by a spark from a pickaxe."One Seems Likely to Die: Explosion of Gas in Manhole. Five Men Hurt," Boston Daily Globe, 1 Dec 1904, pg. 1, ProQuest, accessed 2018.01.19.
1905 February – In Hastings, Pennsylvania, two employees of the Hope Gas Company were killed while repairing a leak in a 12-inch diameter natural gas pipeline, which exploded so violently that their clothes were blown off their bodies."Two Men Instantly Killed in Gas Explosion," Sistersville Daily Oil Review (Sistersville, W. Va.), 02 Feb 1905, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress, <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86092356/1905-02-02/ed-1/seq-8/>
1906 November 22 – In Cherryville, Kansas, five Australians working on the Kansas Natural Gas Company's pipeline to Joplin were badly burned by an explosion "through misunderstanding or neglect.""Gas Explosion Injures Five," Topeka State Journal (Topeka, Kan.), 22 Nov. 1906. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress, <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82016014/1906-11-22/ed-1/seq-7/>
1907 August – A gas explosion shook Boston's South End after new machinery ignited a gas leak in the one-story brick engine house of the Boston Consolidated Gas Company, where natural gas was pumped to three huge reservoirs holding 2,000,000 cubic feet of gas. The engineer, knowing the fire could spread to the reservoirs, ignored his burning clothes and rushed to close the valves between the engine house and the reservoirs, saving the South End from a disaster. Seven workmen including the engineer were seriously injured."Explosion of Gas Scares South End," Boston Daily Globe [Boston, Mass.], 16 Aug 1907: 1, ProQuest, accessed 2018.01.19.
1908 March 28 – In South Deerfield, Massachusetts, a tank used for supplying gas to houses and stores exploded, killing two men and injuring two others. Hundreds of windows shattered from the force of the blast, and a small building near the tank was demolished. Leaking gas was thought to have been ignited by the flame from a lantern."Explosion Kills Two: Gas Tank Goes Up With Roar," Boston Daily Globe, Mar 29, 1908, pg. 1, ProQuest, accessed 2018.01.19 July 31 – In Haysville, Pennsylvania, a gas explosion demolished a varnish factory building and broke 500 windows in the town, doing $6000 of damage."Terrific Gas Explosion," Boston Daily Globe, 1 Aug 1908, p. 12, ProQuest, accessed 2018.01.19.
1909 December 14 – In Topeka, Kansas, six men were seriously injured when gas trapped in a fire cistern exploded. Two were cleaning out the cistern when another man struck a match to light a cigar and the explosion followed."Injured in Gas Explosion," Herald Democrat (Leadville, Colorado), December 15, 1909, Colorado Historic Newspapers, https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/, accessed 2018.01.20.
1910s 1910 September 9 – In Oklahoma, a cigar-smoking cashier inadvertently blew up his own bank when he walked into his workplace, which had a gas leak. The cashier was bruised and scorched but not seriously injured."Bank Wrecked by Gas Explosion, "Vinita Daily Chieftain (Vinita, Indian Territory [Oklahoma]), 09 Sept 1910, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress, <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025020/1910-09-09/ed-1/seq-1/>
1911 January 15 – Four persons were killed and four injured in a natural gas explosion at Niobrara, Nebraska. The explosion was caused by a leak from a gas plant in a hotel's cellar. The resulting fire burned the three-story frame hotel to the ground."Fatal Explosion," Herald Democrat (Leadville, Colorado), January 16, 1911, Colorado Historic Newspapers, https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/, accessed 2018.01.20. June 26 – In Estes Park, Colorado, an explosion of gas in the Stanley Hotel endangered the lives of 20 guests and fatally injured one. The Stanley, a new $500,000 four-story hotel lighted by electricity, had a gas plant for emergency use. Guests noticed the odor of gas the previous day and at night the leak was found on the second floor by employees with lighted candles who set off the explosion."Acetylene Gas Plant Explodes," Montrose Daily Press (Montrose, Colorado), June 26, 1911, Colorado Historic Newspapers, https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/, accessed 2018.01.20. September 18 – In Schenectady, New York, the explosion of a gas generating tank in the basement of the Exchange building resulted in the death of the owner of a confectionery store. The building was considerably damaged by the fire which followed the explosion. Firemen found the confectioner's body in the basement."Killed By Gas Explosion," Herald Democrat (Leadville, Colorado), September 19, 1911, Colorado Historic Newspapers, https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/, accessed 2018.01.20.
1912 May 13 – In Parkersburg, West Virginia, a gas explosion shook a woolen mill and injured three men, probably including the one searching for the gas leak with a lighted match. After the explosion, 200 mill girls employed on the fourth floor made their way down the fire escape in an orderly fashion. A fire followed but was quickly extinguished."Girls Escape from Mill: Gas Explosion at Parkersburg, W Va, injures Three Men--Match and Gas Leak the Cause," Boston Daily Globe [Boston, Mass.], 14 May 1912: 3, ProQuest, accessed 2018.01.19. October 2 – In Boston, Massachusetts, gas escaping from a subbasement gas main in a Beacon Street apartment hotel affected 34 residents while they were sleeping; two nearly suffocated."Gas Scare in the Back Bay: 34 People Affected as Result of Leak. Discovery of Leaking Gas," Boston Daily Globe [Boston, Mass.], 02 Oct 1909: 1, ProQuest, accessed 2018.01.19.
1913 January 24 – A natural gas explosion in an underground chamber of the Utah Light and Railway Company shattered a 200-pound cast iron manhole cover and threw the pieces into the air in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, forcing pedestrians to take shelter as the debris rained down."Pedestrians Escape Explosion in Street," Salt Lake Tribune (Utah), 1913-01-25, and "Gas Explosion in Street," Salt Lake Telegram (Utah), 1913-01-25, Utah Digital Newspapers, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/, accessed 2018.01.20. February 17 – Near Kansas City, Missouri, twenty members of the Oak Grove Methodist Church were injured when a natural gas tank blew up in the basement of the church. The custodian, who had taken a lantern to find the source of the gas leak, was not expected to live."Church Wrecked by Gas Explosion," Salt Lake Telegram (Utah), 1913-02-17, Utah Digital Newspapers, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/, accessed 2018.01.20.
1914 June 14 – In Columbus, Ohio, 12 men were fatally injured and eight seriously burned when a gas main exploded while a group of workmen were repairing it. Four later died."Explosion in Gas Main," Boston Daily Globe, Jun 15, 1914: 2, ProQuest, accessed 2018.01.19. December 15 – In Cleveland, Ohio, a two-story brick apartment house was demolished by a natural gas explosion. Seven were killed, nine hospitalized, three missing."Apartments Are Wrecked by Gas," Ogden Standard (Utah), 1914-12-15, Utah Digital Newspapers, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/, accessed 2018.01.20.
1915