21/12/2024
old battery
in 1907, explosions at the Prest-O-Lite plant in Indianapolis claimed the life of an employee and injured others. The fire spread rapidly due to gas manufactured at the plant used to light automobiles. Co-founder and president of the Indianapolis Speedway, Carl Fisher, co-founded Prest-O-Lite in 1904.
The company developed acetylene gas vehicle headlights distributed nationwide. The explosions generated negative press, and many questioned the safety of maintaining a volatile gas plant in such a densely populated area. However, Prest-O-Lite plants remained in Indianapolis, and profits continued to soar. In 1912, the company built a new factory on the outskirts of town near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Learn more about Pres-O-Lite here: https://bit.ly/3er75V2
The image below, showing the inside of the Prest-O-Lite plant, is courtesy of the Indiana Album.
