Life in Utah’s small towns seems idyllic to those of us who live in the Beehive State’s larger cities. But even small towns suffer from devastating tragedies occasionally. Here’s a horrible event that happened in 1956 that you may have never heard of…but that residents of this little town will never forget.
The little town of Monticello is located in southeastern Utah, along US 191.
J Stephen Conn/flickr It’s a quiet town, with fewer than 2,000 residents, and it’s always been a close-knit community.
On the evening of August 13, 1956, the Lariat Cafe was packed with locals and tourists.
Gwen/flickr (not an actual photo of the Lariat Cafe) The cafe, which had seating for 43 diners, was completely full, and more people were waiting in line for tables.
The Lariat was a popular spot for dinner, and patrons were tucking into their chicken fried steaks and meatloaf dinners.
Luna715/flickr From children to utility workers to truck drivers…the cafe was bustling with hungry people chatting and enjoying their meals.
Around 7 pm, tragedy struck. An improperly installed natural gas line exploded, completely destroying the cafe. One minute, everyone was enjoying their meals, and the next minute…the cafe was simply gone.
Adam Howarth/flickr The blast blew out windows up and down the street, and all four walls of the cafe were blown out. The explosion left a huge, 30-foot-deep hole where it once stood. 16 people were killed, and dozens of others were seriously injured. The immediate aftermath of the explosion was horrific. Small children cried as they looked for their parents; those first on the scene were horrified at the mangled bodies that made it difficult to determine how many people had died. Miraculously, some people were blown through the air, but landed, unhurt, outside. The victims included an infant, a waitress, tourists from several different states, a truck driver and local residents. The sudden, tragic accident was devastating to the community, but residents immediately came together to help. People from all over town came running to assist the victims, and opened their homes to provide first aid while waiting for rescue workers to arrive. The Red Cross sent blood and plasma from Salt Lake City, and medical personnel came from surrounding communities. Perhaps the worst this about this accident was that it happened in an instant, without any warning. One witness said, “The cafe was there one moment. I looked and then the next – it just wasn’t there.”
Do you remember the Lariat Cafe explosion?
J Stephen Conn/flickr
It’s a quiet town, with fewer than 2,000 residents, and it’s always been a close-knit community.
Gwen/flickr (not an actual photo of the Lariat Cafe)
The cafe, which had seating for 43 diners, was completely full, and more people were waiting in line for tables.
Luna715/flickr
From children to utility workers to truck drivers…the cafe was bustling with hungry people chatting and enjoying their meals.
Adam Howarth/flickr
The blast blew out windows up and down the street, and all four walls of the cafe were blown out. The explosion left a huge, 30-foot-deep hole where it once stood. 16 people were killed, and dozens of others were seriously injured. The immediate aftermath of the explosion was horrific. Small children cried as they looked for their parents; those first on the scene were horrified at the mangled bodies that made it difficult to determine how many people had died. Miraculously, some people were blown through the air, but landed, unhurt, outside. The victims included an infant, a waitress, tourists from several different states, a truck driver and local residents. The sudden, tragic accident was devastating to the community, but residents immediately came together to help. People from all over town came running to assist the victims, and opened their homes to provide first aid while waiting for rescue workers to arrive. The Red Cross sent blood and plasma from Salt Lake City, and medical personnel came from surrounding communities. Perhaps the worst this about this accident was that it happened in an instant, without any warning. One witness said, “The cafe was there one moment. I looked and then the next – it just wasn’t there.”
For some more Utah history, take a look at these 12 old Utah photos.
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