People In This Tiny Utah Town Will Never Forget This Deadly Explosion In 1956

It's a quiet town, with fewer than 2,000 residents, and it's always been a close-knit community.

The cafe, which had seating for 43 diners, was completely full, and more people were waiting in line for tables.

From children to utility workers to truck drivers...the cafe was bustling with hungry people chatting and enjoying their meals.

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."