Just after 9 am on Wednesday, 26th of January, 1949, Tillicoultry shook to the sound of an explosion. The nearby stone quarry's explosives store had blown up, killing a quarry worker and injuring several others.
The quarry, situated at the foot of the Ochil hills, immediately to the west of Tillicoultry was fully operational at the time, and buildings and plant were located around the Quarry site. The store for holding the explosives used in the blasting of the rock as part of the quarrying process was located on an embankment at a distance from the other buildings and main quarry workings.
At around 9 am, 44-year-old Alexander Honeyman, an experienced shot-firer, was fitting caps to fuses when the explosion happened. The force of the explosion was such that buildings at the quarry collapsed or were damaged. Dirt and rock were thrown into the air, which returned to earth over the west end of the village, causing further damage and injury.
The blast was heard as far away as Dunfermline. The local people immediately knew that a major incident had happened, as although quarry blasting was a common feature of local life, the severity of the blast was in orders of magnitude more powerful.
In a Nissen hut office, located just 90 feet from the explosives store, the managing director of Tillicoultry Quarries, Robert Wallace Menzies, was lifted off his feet by the blast and thrown halfway through a window. The office building was destroyed and Mr Menzies sustained slight injuries.
Old machinery at the closed Tillicoultry Quarry - January 2023
A roll call took place within minutes of the blast to ensure that everyone was safe, but when Honeyman's name was called, there was no answer. George Honeyman, Alexander's brother, also worked at the quarry. His son, nine-year-old Billy, had just dropped off his lunch and was leaving when the explosion occurred. The boy was between the powder magazine and offices at the time of the blast and was thrown 30 feet into the air. He suffered an injury to his head and legs.
Tillicoultry suffered damage from the quarry explosion as far as the High Street where people were thrown off their feet.
Those who had witnessed the explosion from the town said there was a blinding flash of light followed immediately by a loud roar. The quarry hill disappeared behind a massive cloud of dust.
These early morning shoppers had many narrow escapes as glass windows from shops were blown in. The worst damage was in the upper part of the town nearest the quarry - There was barely a home in the old part of the town that did not suffer damage.
Shattered roof tiles, glass and other debris covered the roads. In Upper Mill Street, although the damage was not quite so bad, roof tiles were lost, windows were shattered, and a number of ceilings collapsed.
Local residents rushed home to assess the damage to their homes, and local businesses began clearing up damage to their properties. Soon, local tradesmen made temporary repairs to the damaged homes so that they could remain habitable. Neighbours rallied round and did what they could for those affected.
The Secretary of State for Scotland Arthur Woodburn MP visited the town, and along with Provost William Jamieson and members of the Town Council, saw the damage first-hand.
A view of part of the closed Tillicoultry Quarry - January 2023
Reference:
Alloa Advertiser : A Walk in the Past