40 years on

Edward H. White II, Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, and Roger B. Chaffee were locked in their Apollo 1 capsule on the launch pad for a live test countdown in preparation for a later orbit mission when something happened. A flash fire swept the concentrated oxygen environment of their capsule and incinerated the three men in seconds.

An Accident Review Board found no single ignition source of the fire was conclusively identified. The rapid spread of fire caused an increase in pressure and temperature which resulted in rupture of the Command Module and creation of a toxic atmosphere. Death of the crew was from asphyxia due to inhalation of toxic gases due to fire. There were no medical or fire crews nearby, and the crew was never capable of effecting emergency egress.

I was 8 years old at the time, and my only remembrance of the tragedy now was Life Magazine's coverage.