Do you remember?
Putnam’s first 'River Fire'
In late August 1955, Hurricane Diane impacted Putnam by dumping between 17 and 20 inches of rain on the area. As dams failed in Massachusetts, a 26-foot wall of water surged down the Quinebaug and French rivers which were already at flood stage.
The Bloom Mill, near the area of Bill’s Bread and Breakfast today, was closed, no longer manufacturing textiles. Highly reactive pure magnesium was being stored there by Metal Selling Corporation. When magnesium encounters water, it explodes producing fire with very high-temperature flames. As the water rose in the building, some of the barrels began to crack open exploding and catching the building on fire. The fire department could not put the fire out with water, so they had to let it burn. As the building exploded and burned, the barrels started tumbling into the river. As they hit rocks, they exploded.
Fearing that some of the barrels might go down the river as far as Killingly, National Guard Soldiers were placed on high ground along the river to shoot any barrels as they floated downstream before they could destroy any bridges. When they were shot, they would explode immediately, saving the bridges down river.
Providence claims to have the first River Fire Festival, but we think Putnam did that night. Folks that remember this event say the night sky was colored brilliantly white.
From the Aspinock Historical Society
.caption: Magnesium fire during the Flood of 1955. King family photo.