Desc: Meadowlands Ablaze: The Kingsland Explosion of 1917: Directed by Billy Tooma. With Jhestarri DePasquale, Cathy Loch, Vincent Conroy, David DiPasquale. On January 11, 1917, only months before the United States of America entered World War I, a fire broke out in Building 30 at the Canadian Car and Foundry complex in the Kingsland section of the New Jersey Meadowlands. The conflagration spread throughout the property, discharging nearly 500,000 pieces of 76mm high explosive shells, lighting up the skies and causing millions of dollars in damage. This is the story of the brave company switchboard operator, Tessie McNamara, who stayed at her post until all workers were informed of the danger, and the investigation into whether or not this was an act of sabotage orchestrated by German agents on behalf of their country.