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Building 6: The Tragedy at Bridesburg
"Few of the men who worked with the deadly gas at Bridesburg got away alive... In some cases, entire circles of men who had come to be as close as members of a family were decimated."
Building 6 was located inside the Bridesburg (Philadelphia) plant of Rohm and Haas Corp., a Fortune 500 chemical company. Beginning in the 1950s, Building 6 was the production site for the chemical CME and its byproduct, BCME. Years later, workers who had been exposed to BCME began to die of respiratory cancer while still on the job, one after another.
The authors unravel the harrowing story of how the tragedy took place—how workers labored under Dickensian conditions, why researchers who suspected BCME was a killer later complained the company wouldn't cooperate; how a young physician went around the company by assembling his own health and exposure histories by interviewing a dying patient; and how the company reacted after studies confirmed BCME's astonishing toxicity. The revelations in the book led to legal action by victims' families against Rohm and Haas, and they received a multi-million dollar settlement from the company.
Building 6 was located inside the Bridesburg (Philadelphia) plant of Rohm and Haas Corp., a Fortune 500 chemical company. Beginning in the 1950s, Building 6 was the production site for the chemical CME and its byproduct, BCME. Years later, workers who had been exposed to BCME began to die of respiratory cancer while still on the job, one after another.
The authors unravel the harrowing story of how the tragedy took place—how workers labored under Dickensian conditions, why researchers who suspected BCME was a killer later complained the company wouldn't cooperate; how a young physician went around the company by assembling his own health and exposure histories by interviewing a dying patient; and how the company reacted after studies confirmed BCME's astonishing toxicity. The revelations in the book led to legal action by victims' families against Rohm and Haas, and they received a multi-million dollar settlement from the company.
317 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1977
25 people want to read
About the author
Willard Sterne Randall
44 books71 followersWillard Sterne Randall is an American historian and author who specializes in biographies related to the American colonial period and the American Revolution. He teaches American history at Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 16, 2025
3.5 stars. This took me forever to complete. A very interesting topic but sometimes the writing was dry, repetitive and swung back in forth in time. For me, a straightforward chronology would have made it a little easier. I hope to get to a full-throated review but for now I'll just copy some of the flyleaf and a few other comments. This was written in 1977 and is based on the authors article "54 who have died" published in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Building 6 is located inside the Bridesburg, PA plant of 0ne of the giants in the American chemical industry, Rohm and Haas. Beginning in the early 1950's, Building 6 was the production site for the chemical CME and it's by product BCME an inevitable contaminant, the synthesis of ion exchange resins, used worldwide in the purification of such substances as water, wine, sugar and uranium.
Years later, workers who had been exposed to BCME began to die, one after another. 58 in all.
The book demonstrates despite evidence of BCME's correlation with the development of cancer in its workers, the company not only looked the other way but sought to cover-up the extent of the problem; it also levels a serious indictment against the federal government for its failure to enact or enforce legislation to protect workers from injury and illness on the job. The authors reveal how for 6 years of heavy lobbying by the chemical industry and behind-the-scenes opposition by the Nixon and Ford administrations thwarted passage of bills that require the testing of chemicals for toxic effects before manufacture and use.
A society that benefits from the wonders of chemistry should be responsible for safeguarding workers who produce the plastics, resins, drugs and other products for its comfort, convenience, and health.
Building 6 is located inside the Bridesburg, PA plant of 0ne of the giants in the American chemical industry, Rohm and Haas. Beginning in the early 1950's, Building 6 was the production site for the chemical CME and it's by product BCME an inevitable contaminant, the synthesis of ion exchange resins, used worldwide in the purification of such substances as water, wine, sugar and uranium.
Years later, workers who had been exposed to BCME began to die, one after another. 58 in all.
The book demonstrates despite evidence of BCME's correlation with the development of cancer in its workers, the company not only looked the other way but sought to cover-up the extent of the problem; it also levels a serious indictment against the federal government for its failure to enact or enforce legislation to protect workers from injury and illness on the job. The authors reveal how for 6 years of heavy lobbying by the chemical industry and behind-the-scenes opposition by the Nixon and Ford administrations thwarted passage of bills that require the testing of chemicals for toxic effects before manufacture and use.
A society that benefits from the wonders of chemistry should be responsible for safeguarding workers who produce the plastics, resins, drugs and other products for its comfort, convenience, and health.
February 18, 2022
My Dad was one of the causalities and I am trying to find this book. If anyone is willing to sell please contact me.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews