The explosion that changed milling

The evening of May 2, 1878 at the Washburn “A” mill – the largest mill of its time in the U.S. – began as any other as the day shift crews left the Minneapolis mill and the smaller night crew clocked in.

But at around 7 p.m., flour dust in the air ignited and the mill exploded. The blast blew the roof off the A mill, leveled five other mills and engulfed several city blocks in flames.

Sadly, the massive explosion killed 18 workers.