Moore County Fire Departments Paused Wednesday Night To Recognized The 19 Firefighters Who Died July 29, 1956 - See more at: http://highplainsobserverdumas.com/#sthash.xN5GskQI.dpuf19 who died are listed on the statue at Moore County Courthouse - See more at: http://highplainsobserverdumas.com/#sthash.xN5GskQI.dpuf

19 who died are listed on the statue at Moore County Courthouse

Chief Paul Jenkins spoke to the crowd gathered at the courthouse Wednesday night about the 1956 refinery explosion near Dumas, Sunray that killed 19 firefighters from the local area.

On July 29, 1956, the Sunday morning silence of Dumas, Sunray and most of the northern Panhandle was broken with an explosion and fire that killed 19 firefighters. 

The blast was at what was then called Shamrock Oil and Gas Refinery (now Valero) between Dumas and Sunray in Moore County north of Amarillo. Ceremonies to honor the fallen firefighters have been an annual event. 

The Dumas-Sunray disaster was the fourth worst in the United States in terms of firefighters' deaths. 

According to the Amarillo Globe-Times, the disaster left 35 children fatherless. - See more at: http://highplainsobserverdumas.com/#sthash.xN5GskQI.dpuf

Fire Chief Paul Jenkins speaks at Memorial for 1956 Shamrock/McGee Fire in memory of the 19 firefighters who died.

Firefighters from the Moore County Area

Dumas Fire trucks

Today it is called Valero instead of Shamrock/McGee Plant