On January 27, 1953, an explosion caused by a natural gas leak killed ten people and destroyed five buildings on the northern half of this block. The buildings destroyed were Platt's Drug Store, the Jones Electric Company, where the explosion occurred, R.W. McCreary's, the Diana Shop, and Liles Drug Company, the former site of Hahn Grocery for many years. The Holley Building and the other buildings to the south were damaged but survived the blast. The ten local citizens killed in the accident, nine from Aiken and one from Graniteville, were David O. Rutland, Emille C. McCarter, John C. Watson, Charles Nelson Long, Mrs. W.M. Duncan, John Henry "Jack" Neibling, "Bubba" Mosley, Jack Holley, Ruth Madry, and Mae Weeks.

Photo: <i>Aiken Standard</i> Jan. 28, 1953

Photo: <i>Aiken Standard</i> Jan. 28, 1953

Photo: <i>Aiken</i> by Paul Miles and Janice McDonald

Photo: Brian Scott

Photo: Mike Stroud

Photo: Mike Stroud

Photo: Mike Stroud

Aiken, South Carolina · USA