New London School Explosion survivor relives the tragic day on the 88th anniversary

NEW LONDON, Texas (KETK)- March 18, 1937, marks 88 years since the devastating New London School Explosion caused by a natural gas leak.
The event remains the third-deadliest disaster in the history of Texas, killing 294 people. Among the dead were mostly children from grades 5th-12th. Dozens of people who lost someone in the explosion gathered at the Cenotaph on Tuesday afternoon to remember those who were killed.
Betty Daniels Smith, 99, was in 7th grade when the explosion happened. She was on the tennis court preparing for a county meet, now known as UIL. Her heart is still heavy thinking back to that fateful day.
'I walked in the front door, my mother saw I was upset. She said, 'What's wrong'? I said the school blew up mama and she said, 'What;? 'I said, the school blew up, and I must have been a fibber because she said,' 'Betty, don't say things like that'. 'I said, it did,' said Smith
West Rusk ISD students laid flowers in honor of each student that passed away, and a local pastor spoke words of comfort and encouragement.
Every year the taps play at 3:17pm, the same time the explosion happened.
The London Museum & Café opened their doors after the ceremony for people to learn about their tragic history.
Board member Jerry Poole said that the community did not talk about the destruction or memorialize loved ones lost until the 70's.
'It was so impressive in people's minds, you know, that it was just so terrible, you know, people didn't want to mention it or think about it,' Poole said.
Poole said the best way for the small community to heal is to talk about what happened and keep the nearly 300 people's memories alive.
The explosion was worldwide. President Roosevelt and Adolf Hitler sent letters to the grieving community.
The tragedy is what eventually led to chemicals being added to natural gas, creating the rotten smell to act as a warning to others.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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